[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Fri Oct 26 05:00:22 CDT 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Fri Oct 26 2007

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Composite 16  - Isaiah 63:15-64:5, 8-9 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Turn, O Lord, from heaven, and look from Thy holy habitation and Thy
glory. Where are Thy zeal and Thy strength? Where is the multitude of
Thy mercies and Thy compassions that Thou hast endured for us? For
Thou are our Father, because Abraham has not known us, nor has Israel
known us. But do Thou, O Lord, our Father, deliver us; from the
beginning Thy name has been on us. Why hast Thou turned us aside, O
Lord, from Thy ways, and made hard our hearts that we should not fear
Thee? Return for the sake of Thy servants, for the sake of the tribes
of Thine inheritance, that, _at least_, we may inherit a small part of
Thy holy mountain. Our adversaries have trodden down Thy sanctuary. We
have become as at the beginning when Thou didst not rule over us, and
Thy name was not called upon us.
If Thou wouldst open the heavens, trembling would take hold of the
mountains from Thee, and they would melt; like wax melts before the
fire. And fire shall burn up the enemies, and Thy name shall be made
manifest to Thine adversaries; the nations shall be troubled at Thy
presence. When Thou shalt do glorious things, trembling shall take
hold of the mountains from Thee. From the ages we have not heard, nor
have our eyes seen a God beside Thee, or Thy works which Thou shalt
perform for them that wait for mercy. For mercy joins them that work
righteousness, and they shall remember Thy ways.
And now, O Lord, Thou art our Father, and we are clay; Thou art our
Fashioner and all of us are the work of Thy hands. Be not very angry
with us, O Lord, and remember not our sins for ever; but now look on
us, for we are all Thy people.
Scripture Reading 1 of 6

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Jeremiah 2:2-12  (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
2 Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says the LORD:
I remember you, the kindness of your youth, the love of your
betrothal, when you went after Me in the wilderness, in a land not
sown.
3 Israel was holiness to the LORD, the firstfruits of His increase.
All that devour him will offend; disaster will come upon them, says
the LORD.
4 Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob and all the families of
the house of Israel.
5 Thus says the LORD: What injustice have your fathers found in Me,
that they have gone far from Me, have followed idols, and have become
idolaters?
6 Neither did they say, Where is the LORD, Who brought us up out of
the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, through a land
of deserts and pits, through a land of drought and the shadow of
death, through a land that no one crossed and where no one dwelt?
7 I brought you into a bountiful country, to eat its fruit and its
goodness. But when you entered, you defiled My land and made My
heritage an abomination.
8 The priests did not say, Where is the LORD? And those who handle the
law did not know Me; the rulers also transgressed against Me; the
prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not
profit.
9 Therefore I will yet bring charges against you, says the LORD, And
against your childrens children I will bring charges.
10 For pass beyond the coasts of Cyprus and see, send to Kedar and
consider diligently, and see if there has been such a thing.
11 Has a nation changed its gods, which are not gods? But My people
have changed their Glory for what does not profit.
12 Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid; be very
desolate, says the LORD.
Scripture Reading 2 of 6

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Wisdom of Solomon 4:7-15  (Vespers, 3rd Reading)
7 But the righteous man, though he die early, will be at rest.
8 For old age is not honored for length of time, nor measured by
number of years;
9 but understanding is gray hair for men, and a blameless life is ripe
old age.
10 There was one who pleased God and was loved by him,
11 He was caught up lest evil change his understanding or guile
deceive his soul.
12 For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good, and roving
desire perverts the innocent mind.
13 Being perfected in a short time, he fulfilled long years;
14 for his soul was pleasing to the Lord, therefore he took him
quickly from the midst of wickedness.
15 Yet the peoples saw and did not understand, nor take such a thing
to heart, that God's grace and mercy are his elect, and he watches
over his holy ones.
Scripture Reading 3 of 6

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Matthew 10:16-22  (Matins Gospel)
16 Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore
be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and
scourge you in their synagogues.
18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a
testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you
should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should
speak;
20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who
speaks in you.
21 Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his
child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be
put to death.
22 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures
to the end will be saved.
Scripture Reading 4 of 6

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2 Timothy 2:1-10  (St. Demetrius)
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ
Jesus.
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses,
commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus
Christ.
4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this
life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless
he competes according to the rules.
6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops.
7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all
things.
8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from
the dead according to my gospel,
9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of
chains; but the word of God is not chained.
10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they
also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal
glory.
Scripture Reading 5 of 6

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John 15:17-16:2  (St. Demetrius)
17 These things I command you, that you love one another.
18 If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated
you.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because
you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore
the world hates you.
20 Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater
than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake,
because they do not know Him who sent Me.
22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but
now they have no excuse for their sin.
23 He who hates Me hates My Father also.
24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they
would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and
My Father.
25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written
in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.'
26 But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the
Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will
testify of Me.
27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from
the beginning.
1 These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to
stumble.
2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming
that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.
Scripture Reading 6 of 6

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Holy, Glorious Demetrius the Myrrhgusher of Thessalonica
The Great Martyr Demetrius the Myrrh-gusher of Thessalonica was the
son of a Roman proconsul in Thessalonica. Three centuries had elapsed
and Roman paganism, spiritually shattered and defeated by the
multitude of martyrs and confessors of the Savior, intensified its
persecutions. The parents of St Demetrius were secretly Christians,
and he was baptized and raised in the Christian Faith in a secret
church in his father's home,
By the time Demetrius had reached maturity and his father had died,
the emperor Galerius Maximian had ascended the throne (305). Maximian,
confident in Demetrius' education as well as his administrative and
military abilities, appointed him to his father's position as
proconsul of the Thessalonica district. The main tasks of this young
commander were to defend the city from barbarians and to eradicate
Christianity. The emperor's policy regarding Christians was expressed
simply, "Put to death anyone who calls on the name of Christ." The
emperor did not suspect that by appointing Demetrius he had provided a
way for him to lead many people to Christ.
Accepting the appointment, Demetrius returned to Thessalonica and
immediately confessed and glorified our Lord Jesus Christ. Instead of
persecuting and executing Christians, he began to teach the Christian
Faith openly to the inhabitants of the city and to overthrow pagan
customs and idolatry. The compiler of his Life, St Simeon Metaphrastes
(November 9), says that because of his teaching zeal he became "a
second Apostle Paul" for Thessalonica, particularly since "the Apostle
to the Gentiles" once founded at this city the first community of
believers (1 Thess. and 2 Thess.).
The Lord also destined St Demetrius to follow the holy Apostle Paul as
a martyr. When Maximian learned that the newly-appointed proconsul was
a Christian, and that he had converted many Roman subjects to
Christianity, the rage of the emperor know no bounds. Returning from a
campaign in the Black Sea region, the emperor decided to lead his army
through Thessalonica, determined to massacre the Christians.
Learning of this, St Demetrius ordered his faithful servant Lupus to
distribute his wealth to the poor saying, "Distribute my earthly
riches among them, for we shall seek heavenly riches for ourselves."
He began to pray and fast, preparing himself for martyrdom.
When the emperor came into the city, he summoned Demetrius, who boldly
confessed himself a Christian and denounced the falsehood and futility
of Roman polytheism. Maximian gave orders to lock up the confessor in
prison. An angel appeared to him, comforting and encouraging him.
Meanwhile the emperor amused himself by staging games in the circus.
His champion was a German by the name of Lyaeos. He challenged
Christians to wrestle with him on a platform built over the upturned
spears of the victorious soldiers. A brave Christian named Nestor went
to the prison to his advisor Demetrius and requested a blessing to
fight the barbarian. With the blessing and prayers of Demetrius,
Nestor prevailed over the fierce German and hurled him from the
platform onto the spears of the soldiers, just as the murderous pagan
would have done with the Christian. The enraged commander ordered the
execution of the holy Martyr Nestor (October 27) and sent a guard to
the prison to kill St Demetrius.
At dawn on October 26, 306 soldiers appeared in the saint's
underground prison and ran him through with lances. His faithful
servant, St Lupus, gathered up the blood-soaked garment of St
Demetrius, and he took the imperial ring from his finger, a symbol of
his high status, and dipped it in the blood. With the ring and other
holy things sanctified by the blood of St Demetrius, St Lupus began to
heal the infirm. The emperor issued orders to arrest and kill him.
The body of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius was cast out for wild
animals to devour, but the Christians took it and secretly buried it
in the earth.
During the reign of St Constantine (306-337), a church was built over
the grave of St Demetrius. A hundred years later, during the
construction of a majestic new church on the old spot, the incorrupt
relics of the holy martyr were uncovered. Since the seventh century a
miraculous flow of fragrant myrrh has been found beneath the crypt of
the Great Martyr Demetrius, so he is called "the Myrrh-gusher."
Several times, those venerating the holy wonderworker tried to bring
his holy relics, or a part of them, to Constantinople. Invariably, St
Demetrius made it clear that he would not permit anyone to remove even
a portion of his relics.
It is interesting that among the barbarians threatening the Romans,
Slavs occupied an important place, in particular those settling upon
the Thessalonian peninsula. Some even believe that the parents of St
Demetrius were of Slavic descent. While advancing towards the city,
pagan Slavs were repeatedly turned away by the apparition of a
threatening radiant youth, going around on the walls and inspiring
terror in the enemy soldiers. Perhaps this is why the name of St
Demetrius was particularly venerated among the Slavic nations after
they were enlightened by the Gospel. On the other hand, the Greeks
dismiss the notion of St Demetrius being a Slavic saint.
The very first pages of the Russian Primary Chronicle, as foreordained
by God, is bound up with the name of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius
of Thessalonica. The Chronicle relates that when Oleg the Wise
threatened the Greeks at Constantinople (907), the Greeks became
terrified and said, "This is not Oleg, but rather St Demetrius sent
upon us from God." Russian soldiers always believed that they were
under the special protection of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius.
Moreover, in the old Russian barracks the Great Martyr Demetrius was
always depicted as Russian. Thus this image entered the soul of the
Russian nation.
Church veneration of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius in Russia began
shortly after the Baptism of Rus. Towards the beginning of the 1070s
the Dimitriev monastery at Kiev, known afterwards as the
Mikhailov-Zlatoverkh monastery, was founded, The monastery was built
by the son of Yaroslav the Wise, Great Prince Izyaslav, Demetrius in
Baptism (+ 1078). The mosaic icon of St Demetrius of Thessalonica from
the cathedral of the Dimitriev monastery has been preserved up to the
present day, and is in the Tretiakov gallery.
In the years 1194-1197 the Great Prince of Vladimir, Vsevolod III the
Great-Nest (Demetrius in Baptism) "built at his court a beautiful
church of the holy martyr Demetrius, and adorned it wondrously with
icons and frescoes." The Dimitriev cathedral also reveals the
embellishment of ancient Vladimir. The wonderworking icon of St
Demetrius of Thessalonica from the cathedral iconostas is located even
now in Moscow, at the Tretiakov gallery. It was painted on a piece of
wood from the grave of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius, brought from
Thessalonica to Vladimir in 1197.
One of the most precious depictions of the saint, a fresco on a column
of the Vladimir Dormition cathedral, was painted by the holy
Iconographer Andrew Rublev (July 4).
The family of St Alexander Nevsky (November 23 also venerated St
Demetrius. St Alexander named his eldest son in honor of the holy
Great Martyr. His younger son, Prince Daniel of Moscow (March 4),
built a temple dedicated to the holy Great Martyr Demetrius in the
1280s. This was the first stone church in the Moscow Kremlin. Later in
1326, under Ivan Kalita, it was taken down and the Dormition cathedral
was built in its place.
The memory of St Demetrius of Thessalonica is historically associated
in Rus with the military, patriotism and the defense of the country.
This is apparent by the saint's depiction on icons as a soldier in
plumed armor, with a spear and sword in hand. There is a scroll (in
later depictions) on which is written the prayer of St Demetrius for
the salvation of the people of Thessalonica, "Lord, do not permit the
city or the people perish. If You save the city and the people, I
shall be saved with them. If they perish, I also perish with them."
In the particular spiritual experience of the Russian Church,
veneration of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica is
closely linked with the memory of the defense of the nation and Church
by the Great Prince of Moscow, Demetrius of the Don (May 19) . "An
Account of the Life and Repose of the Great Prince Demetrius of the
Don, Tsar of Russia," written in the year 1393, already regards the
Great Prince as a saint, as also do other old Russian histories. Great
Prince Demetrius was a spiritual son and disciple of St Alexis,
Metropolitan of Moscow (February 12), and a disciple and associate of
other great figures of prayer in the Russian Land: St Sergius of
Radonezh (September 25), Demetrius of Priluki (February 11), St
Theodore of Rostov (November 28). The Account states:
He [Great Prince Demetrius] worried much about the churches of God,
and he held the territory of the Russian land by his bravery: he
conquered many enemies who had risen against us, and he protected
his glorious city Moscow with wondrous walls. ...The land of Russia
prospered during the years of his reign.
>From the time of the building of the white-walled Kremlin (1366) by
Great Prince Demetrius, Moscow was called "White-Stoned."
By the prayers of his Heavenly patron, the holy warrior Demetrius of
Thessalonica, Great Prince Demetrius, in addition to his brilliant
military victories, also gained the further prominence of Russia. He
repelled the onslaught of the Lithuanian armies of Olgerd (1368,
1373), he routed the Tatar army of Begich at the River Vozha (1378),
and he smashed the military might of all the Golden Horde at the
Battle of Kulikovo Field on September 8, 1380 (the Feast of the
Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos), set between the Rivers Don and
Nepryadva. The Battle of Kulikovo, for which the nation calls him
Demetrius of the Don, became the first Russian national deed, rallying
the spiritual power of the Russian nation around Moscow. The
"Zadonschina," an inspiring historic poem written by the priest
Sophronius of Ryazem (1381) is devoted to this event.
Prince Demetrius of the Don was greatly devoted to the holy Great
Martyr Demetrius. In 1380, on the eve of the Battle of Kulikovo, he
solemnly transferred from Vladimir to Moscow the most holy object in
the Vladimir Dimitriev cathedral: the icon of the Great Martyr
Demetrius of Thessalonica, painted on a board from the grave of the
saint. A chapel dedicated to the Great Martyr Demetrius was built at
Moscow's Dormition Cathedral.
The St Demetrius Memorial Saturday was established for churchwide
remembrance of the soldiers who fell in the Battle of Kulidovo. This
memorial service was held for the first time at the Trinity-St Sergius
monastery on October 20, 1380 by St Sergius of Radonezh, in the
presence of Great Prince Demetrius of the Don. It is an annual
remembrance of the heroes of the Battle of Kulikovo, among whom are
the schemamonks Alexander (Peresvet) and Andrew (Oslyab).
St Demetrius is regarded as a protector of the young, and is also
invoked by those struggling with lustful temptations.
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Commemoration of the Great Earthquake at Constantinople
In 740, at the time of the iconoclast emperor Leo the Isaurian, there
was a terrible earthquake at Constantinople. Seeing this as God's just
punishment for their sins, the people repented and prayed to the Most
Holy Theotokos and to St Demetrius to help them. God had mercy on
them, and the earthquake stopped.
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St Theophilus of the Kiev Caves and Bishop of Novgorod
Saint Theophilus of the Kiev Caves, Far Caves and Archbishop of
Novgorod, was chosen by lot after the death of the holy hierarch Jonah
(November 5). He was elevated to the dignity of Archbishop of Novgorod
on December 15, 1472 at Moscow. Until his elevation, he had pursued
asceticism in the Otensk monastery.
A harsh destiny was allotted the saint in the guidance of the Novgorod
flock. The mayor Martha Boretskaya and her adherents stirred up and
agitated the people against the Great Prince of Moscow, Ivan III. The
monk Pimen, a Boretskaya partisan, roused enmity against the
archbishop in the flock. Some of the Novgorod populace were inclined
to go over to the side of Lithuania. Unfaithful to the Moscow
principality, they were prepared to fall into apostasy.
St Theophilus stopped the rebellious Novgorodians saying, "Do not
betray Orthodoxy nor become a flock of apostates. I'll go back to my
humble cell, from which you drew me out to the shame of rebellion."
This letter of disavowal of the saint, written in 1479, is preserved.
The short-sighted people did not heed the words of the pastor, and a
fratricidal war broke out between Moscow and Novgorod. The defeated
Novgorodians were compelled to beg for mercy, and many of them owed
their life to the intercession of the saint. In 1480, St Theophilus
was sent by Ivan III to prison in the Moscow Chudov monastery and "he
sat there a full three years, and died there."
By tradition, when St Theophilus lay sick at the Chudov monastery, St
Niphon of Novgorod (April 8), who is buried in the Kiev Caves of St
Anthony, appeared to him in a dream. The saint reminded him of his
promise to venerate the Kievan wonderworkers. It is said that the holy
archbishop went to Kiev, and just as he approached the Dniepr his
sickness increased. He received a revelation that although he would
not reach the Caves alive, his body would rest in them. This was
fulfilled.
His memory is celebrated also with the Synaxis of the Saints of the
Kiev Far Caves on August 28, and on the Second Sunday of the Great
Fast, with the Synaxis of the Kiev Caves Fathers.
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Martyr Lupus
The Martyr Lupus lived at the end of the third century and beginning
of the fourth century, and was a faithful servant of the holy Great
Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica (October 26). Being present at the
death of his master, he soaked his own clothing with his blood and
took a ring from his hand. With this clothing, and with the ring and
the name of the Great Martyr Demetrius, St Lupus worked many miracles
at Thessalonica. He destroyed pagan idols, for which he was subjected
to persecution by the pagans, but he was preserved unharmed by the
power of God.
St Lupus voluntarily delivered himself into the hands of the
torturers, and by order of the emperor Maximian Galerius, he was
beheaded by the sword.
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Venerable Athanasius of Medikion Monastery
Saint Athanasius of Medikion Monastery (+ ca. 814) loved the monastic
life and secretly left his parental home, but was forcibly returned by
his father. After a certain time Athanasius entered the Medikion
monastery in Bithynia with his father's consent.
He was a companion of St Nicetas (April 3) and he died about the year
814. A cypress tree grew up on his grave; from which occurred many
healings, by the grace of God.
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St Demetrius of Basarbov in Bulgaria
Saint Demetrius of Basarbov in Bulgaria lived in the wilderness as an
ascetic near the city of Ruschuk, Bulgaria. He died in 1685.
On July 8, 1779 his relics were transferred to Bucharest.
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Monkmartyr Joseph of Dionysiou on Mt Athos
Saint Joseph was a monk of Dionysiou Monastery on Mt. Athos, where he
shone forth with the virtues of monastic life. He was an iconographer,
and he painted the icon of the holy Archangels on the iconostasis of
Dionysiou's main church.
In obedience to the instructions of Igumen Stephen, St Joseph traveled
to Constantinople with Eudocimus, who had apostasized from Orthodoxy
to become a Moslem. Eudocimus repented, and wished to wipe out his sin
through martyrdom.
When faced with torture and death, however, the unfortunate Eudocimus
denied Christ again, blaming Joseph for turning him from Islam.
St Joseph was arrested and threatened with death. In spite of many
tortures, he refused to convert to Islam. This holy martyr of Christ
was hanged on February 17, 1819, and so he obtained an incorruptible
crown of glory.
Some sources list his commemoration on February 17, while others list
him on September 14 or October 26.
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St Demetrius of Tsilibinsk
Saint Demetrius of Tsilibinsk (14th Century), founder of the Archangel
Tsilibinsk wilderness monastery in Vologda diocese, was a beloved
disciple of St Stephen of Perm (April 26). The monk built a church in
honor of the Archangel Michael for the newly-converted. Beneath this
temple he dug out a cave and for a long time lived there in solitude.
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