[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

[Daily Orthodox Readings and Saints]

Scripture Readings and Saints for Sun Oct 14 2007

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Genesis 1:14-20  (Vespers, 1st Reading)
14 Then God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens
to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and
seasons, and for days and years;
15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give
light on the earth; and it was so.
16 Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day,
and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.
17 God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the
earth,
18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the
light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
19 So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20 Then God said, Let the waters abound with an abundance of living
creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the
firmament of the heavens.
Scripture Reading 1 of 8


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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 8


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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 8


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John 20:19-31  (9th Matins Gospel)
19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week,
when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear
of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them,
"Peace be with you."
20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then
the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent
Me, I also send you."
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you
retain the sins of any, they are retained.
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them
when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails,
and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into
His side, I will not believe."
26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas
with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst,
and said, "Peace to you!"
27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My
hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be
unbelieving, but believing."
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"
29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have
believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His
disciples, which are not written in this book;
31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His
name.
Scripture Reading 4 of 8


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Galatians 1:11-19
11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was
preached by me is not according to man.
12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it
came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I
persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my
own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my
fathers.
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and
called me through His grace,
16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the
Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me;
but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and
remained with him fifteen days.
19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's
brother.
Scripture Reading 5 of 8


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Hebrews 13:7-16  (Fathers)
7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to
you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it
is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which
have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no
right to eat.
11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the
sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.
12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His
own blood, suffered outside the gate.
13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His
reproach.
14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.
15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise
to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices
God is well pleased.
Scripture Reading 6 of 8


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Luke 8:5-15  (Gospel)
5 A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the
wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured
it.
6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away
because it lacked moisture.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and
choked it.
8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a
hundredfold. When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears
to hear, let him hear!"
9 Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"
10 And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the
kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing
they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.'
11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes
and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe
and be saved.
13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the
word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in
time of temptation fall away.
14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have
heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of
life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having
heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit
with patience.
Scripture Reading 7 of 8


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John 17:1-13  (Fathers)
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 8 of 8



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Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical
Council
Today the Church remembers the 350 holy Fathers of the Seventh
Ecumenical Council under the holy Patriarch Tarasius (February 25).
The Synod of 787, the second to meet at Nicea, refuted the Iconoclast
heresy during the reign of Empress Irene and her son Constantine
Porphyrogenitos.
The Council decreed that the veneration of icons was not idolatry
(Exodus 20:4-5), because the honor shown to them is not directed to
the wood or paint, but passes to the prototype (the person depicted).
It also upheld the possibility of depicting Christ, Who became man and
took flesh at His Incarnation. The Father, on the other hand, cannot
be represented in His eternal nature, because "no man has seen God at
any time" (John 1:18).
In Greek practice, the holy God-bearing Fathers of the Seventh
Ecumenical Council are commorated on October 11 (if it is a Sunday),
or on the Sunday which follows October 11. According to the Slavic
MENAION, however, if the eleventh falls on Monday, Tuesday, or
Wednesday, the service is moved to the preceding Sunday.
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Martyr Nazarius of Milan
The Holy Martyrs Nazarius, Gervasius, Protasius and Celsius of Milan
suffered during the reign of the emperor Nero (54-68). St Nazarius
(son of the Christian Perpetua and the Jew Africanus) was born at Rome
and was baptized by Bishop Linus. From his youth Nazarius decided to
devote his life to preaching Christ and to aid wandering Christians.
With this intent he left Rome and arrived in Mediolanum (Milan).
St Nazarius met Protasius and Gervasius when he was visiting
Christians in the Mediolanum prison. He so loved the twins that he
wanted to suffer and die with them. The ruler heard that he was
visiting the prisoners, so he had St Nazarius beaten with rods, then
driven from the city.
St Nazarius proceeded to Gaul (modern France), and there he
successfully preached Christianity and converted many pagans. In the
city of Kimel he baptized Celsius, the son of a Christian woman who
entrusted her child to the saint. Nazarius raised the boy in piety,
and acquired a faithful disciple and coworker in his missionary
labors.
The pagans threw the saints to wild animals to be eaten, but the
beasts would not touch them. Afterwards, they tried to drown the
martyrs in the sea, but they walked upon the water as if on dry land.
The soldiers who carried out the orders were so amazed that they
themselves accepted Christianity and released the holy martyrs.
Sts Nazarius and Celsius went to Milan and visited Gervasius and
Protasius in prison. For this, they were brought before Nero, who
ordered that Sts Nazarius and Celsius be beheaded. Soon after this the
holy brothers Gervasius and Protasius were also executed. The relics
of all four martyrs were stolen by a Christian named Philip, and were
buried in his house.
Many years later, during the reign of the holy Emperor Theodosius
(408-450), St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan (December 7), discovered the
relics of Sts Gervasius and Protasius through a revelation from God.
In the reign of Arcadius and Honorius, St Ambrose also discovered the
relics of Sts Nazarius and Celsius. The holy relics, glorified by many
healings, were solemnly transferred to the Milan cathedral.
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Martyr Gervasius of Milan
The Holy Martyrs Gervasius, Nazarius, Protasius and Celsius of Milan
suffered during the reign of the emperor Nero (54-68).
Saints Protasius and Gervasius were twin brothers from Mediolanum
(Milan), the sons of wealthy Roman citizens, Vitalius and Valeria.
When they received their inheritance from their parents, they
distributed the money to the poor, freed their slaves, and occupied
themselves with fasting and prayer. The pagans locked them up in
prison because they were Christians. St Nazarius met them when he was
visiting Christians in the Mediolanum prison. He so loved the twins
that he wanted to suffer and die with them. The ruler heard that he
was visiting the prisoners, so he had St Nazarius beaten with rods,
then driven from the city.
Sts Nazarius and Celsius went to Milan and visited Gervasius and
Protasius in prison. They were brought before Nero, who ordered that
Sts Nazarius and Celsius be beheaded. Soon after this the holy
brothers Gervasius and Protasius were also executed. The relics of all
four martyrs were stolen by a Christian named Philip, and were buried
in his house.
Many years later, during the reign of the holy Emperor Theodosius
(408-450), St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan (December 7), discovered the
relics of Sts Gervasius and Protasius through a revelation from God.
In the reign of Arcadius and Honorius, St Ambrose also discovered the
relics of Sts Nazarius and Celsius. The holy relics, glorified by many
healings, were solemnly transferred to the Milan cathedral.
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Martyr Protasius of Milan
The Holy Martyrs Protasius, Nazarius, Gervasius and Celsius of Milan
suffered during the reign of the emperor Nero (54-68).
Saints Protasius and Gervasius were twin brothers from Mediolanum
(Milan), the sons of wealthy Roman citizens, Vitalius and Valeria.
When they received their inheritance from their parents, they
distributed the money to the poor, freed their slaves, and occupied
themselves with fasting and prayer. The pagans locked them up in
prison because they were Christians. St Nazarius met them when he was
visiting Christians in the Mediolanum prison. He so loved the twins
that he wanted to suffer and die with them. The ruler heard that he
was visiting the prisoners, so he had St Nazarius beaten with rods,
then driven from the city.
Sts Nazarius and Celsius went to Milan and visited Gervasius and
Protasius in prison. They were brought before Nero, who ordered that
Sts Nazarius and Celsius be beheaded. Soon after this the holy
brothers Gervasius and Protasius were also executed. The relics of all
four martyrs were stolen by a Christian named Philip, and were buried
in his house.
Many years later, during the reign of the holy Emperor Theodosius
(408-450), St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan (December 7), discovered the
relics of Sts Gervasius and Protasius through a revelation from God.
In the reign of Arcadius and Honorius, St Ambrose also discovered the
relics of Sts Nazarius and Celsius. The holy relics, glorified by many
healings, were solemnly transferred to the Milan cathedral.
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Martyr Celsius of Milan
The Holy Martyrs Celsius, Nazarius, Gervasius, and Protasius of Milan
suffered during the reign of the emperor Nero (54-68). St Nazarius
(son of the Christian Perpetua and the Jew Africanus) was born at Rome
and was baptized by Bishop Linus. From his youthful years Nazarius
decided to devote his life to preaching Christ and to aid wandering
Christians. With this intent he left Rome and arrived in Mediolanum
(Milan).
While visiting Christians at the Mediolanum prison, Nazarius made the
acquaintance of the twins Protasius and Gervasius. The twin brothers
had been born in the city of Mediolanum into a family of rich Roman
citizens, Vitalius and Valeria. When they received his inheritance
from his parents,they distributed their money to the poor, freed their
slaves, and occupied themselves with fasting and prayer. The pagans
locked them up in prison for their confession of faith in Christ. St
Nazarius so loved the twins that he wanted to suffer and die with
them. The ruler heard that he was visiting the prisoners, so he had St
Nazarius beaten with rods, then driven from the city.
St Nazarius proceeded to Gaul (modern France), and there he
successfully preached Christianity and converted many pagans. In the
city of Kimel he baptized Celsius, the son of a certain Christian
woman who entrusted her child to the saint. Nazarius raised the boy in
piety, and acquired a faithful disciple and coworker in his missionary
labors.
The pagans threw the saints to wild animals to be eaten, but the
beasts would not touch them. Afterwards, they tried to drown the
martyrs in the sea, but they walked upon the water as if on dry land.
The soldiers who carried out the orders were so amazed that they
themselves accepted Christianity and released the holy martyrs.
Sts Nazarius and Celsius went to Milan and visited Gervasius and
Protasius in prison. For this, they were brought before Nero, who
ordered that Sts Nazarius and Celsius be beheaded. Soon after this the
holy brothers Gervasius and Protasius were also executed. The relics
of all four martyrs were stolen by a Christian named Philip, and were
buried in his house.
Many years later, during the reign of the holy Emperor Theodosius
(408-450), St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan (December 7), discovered the
relics of Sts Gervasius and Protasius through a revelation from God.
In the reign of Arcadius and Honorius, St Ambrose also discovered the
relics of Sts Nazarius and Celsius. The holy relics, glorified by many
healings, were solemnly transferred to the Milan cathedral.
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Venerable Parasceva (Petka) of Serbia
Saint Paraskeva the New was born into a pious family, living during
the eleventh century in the village of Epivato, between Silistra and
Constantinople. Her older brother Euthymius became a monk, and later
he was consecrated as Bishop of Matidia. One day, while attending the
divine services, the words of the Lord pierced her heart like an
arrow, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself" (Mt.
16:24). From that time she began to distribute her clothing to the
needy, for which reason she endured much grief from her family.
Upon the death of her parents, the saint was tonsured into monasticism
at the age of fifteen. She withdrew to the Jordanian desert where she
lived the ascetic life until she reached the age of twenty-five. An
angel of the Lord ordered her to return to her homeland, so she stayed
at Epivato for two years.
St Paraskeva departed to the Lord at the age of twenty-seven, and was
buried near the sea. Because of the many miracles which took place at
her grave, her relics were uncovered and found to be incorrupt. They
were placed in the church of the Holy Apostles at Epivato, where they
remained for about 175 years.
St Paraskeva's relics were moved to Trnovo, Bulgaria in 1223 and
placed in the cathedral. Patriarch Euthymius wrote her Life and
established the day of her commemoration as October 14. The Turks
occupied Bulgaria in 1391, and her relics were given to Mircea the
Elder, Prince of the Romanian Land (one of the districts of Romania).
In 1394 the relics were given to Princess Angelina of Serbia (July
30), who brought them to Belgrade. For 120 years St Paraskeva's relics
rested in Constantinople in the patriarchal cathedral.
On June 13, 1641, her incorrupt relics were transferred to the
monastery of the Three Hierarchs at Jassy in Rumania, where many
healings took place. On December 26, 1888, after being rescued from a
fire, St Parasceva's relics were moved again. This time they were
placed in the new cathedral at Jassy, where they remain until the
present day.
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Venerable Nicholas Sviatosha Prince of Chernigov, and
Wonderworker of the Kiev Near Caves
Saint Nicholas Sviatosha, Prince of Chernigov, and Wonderworker of the
Kiev Caves, Near Caves, was a great-grandson of Great Prince Yaroslav
the Wise and son of Prince David Svyatoslavich of Chernigov (+ 1123).
Nicholas was the Prince of Lutsk, and he had a wife and children (his
daughter was later married to the Novgorod prince St Vsevolod-Gabriel
(February 11).
On February 17, 1106 the holy prince, left his family and was tonsured
at the Kiev Caves monastery. Nicholas Sviatosha carried out his
obediences with great humility. For three years he worked in the
kitchen, for which he chopped wood and carried water. For the next
three years, he was gatekeeper at the monastery. The saint had a
garden around his cell. Out of his own means he built at the monastery
the temple of the Holy Trinity and the infirmary church in the name of
St Nicholas, his patron saint.
St Nicholas was the first of the Russian princes to accept
monasticism, patiently enduring the reproaches of his brothers for his
decision to lead a life of humble obedience. The saint's doctor,
Peter, pointed out to the royal ascetic, that such exploits of
obedience had injured his health. But suddenly the doctor himself fell
sick, and was healed only by the prayer of St Nicholas. Then Peter
himself was tonsured.
After he had progressed through various obediences, St Nicholas took
upon himself the vow of silence. When the saint received money, he
used it to beautify the church, and to procure books (because he loved
reading), or he distributed it to the poor. St Nicholas was a zealous
peacemaker, in 1142 he reconciled the Prince of Chernigov with the
Great Prince Vsevolod.
Soon after the death of the saint, his brother Prince Izyaslav fell
grievously ill. The igumen of the monastery sent the sick man the
saint's hairshirt. Izyaslav put it on and was healed.
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Hieromartyr Silvanus of Gaza
The Holy Hieromartyr Silvanus of Gaza, was a native of the city of
Gaza. He was first a soldier, then a priest. He was falsely accused of
a crime and sentenced to labor in the copper mines. In spite of many
tribulations, the saint did not renounce Christ. In his old age, he
was beheaded together with forty other Christians.
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Icon of the Mother of God of Yakhrom
The Yakhrom Icon of the Mother of God appeared to the holy youth
Cosmas (February 18), while he was accompanying his master, a sick
landowner. Cosmas had stopped at the bank of the Yakhrom River, not
far from Vladimir, and the sick man fell asleep. Cosmas suddenly saw a
bright light coming from a nearby tree, and heard a voice, "Attend and
understand the words of life. Live a God-pleasing life and seek the
joy of the righteous, and then you will delight in eternal blessings."
The light had come from an icon of the Dormition of the Most Holy
Theotokos.
St Cosmas (February 18) took the icon and placed it on his master, who
was immediately healed. After this, Cosmas's term of servitude
expired, so he went to the Kiev Caves monastery. After he was
tonsured, he amazed even the experienced monks by his own spiritual
efforts.
Years later, St Cosmas was told by an angel to return to the place
where he had found the icon. He took the wonderworking icon with him
to the bank of the Yakhrom River where he had found the icon. At once,
the place was again filled with light. St Cosmas built a monastery in
honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God, and placed the Yakhrom
Icon within it.
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