[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

[Daily Orthodox Readings and Saints]

Scripture Readings and Saints for Fri Sep 21 2007

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Ephesians 4:17-25
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no
longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their
mind,
18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life
of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the
blindness of their heart;
19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to
work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But you have not so learned Christ,
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the
truth is in Jesus:
22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which
grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God,
in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth
with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.
Scripture Reading 1 of 2


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Luke 4:22-30
22 So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words
which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, "Is this not Joseph's
son?"
23 He said to them, "You will surely say this proverb to Me,
'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum,
do also here in Your country.' "
24 Then He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in
his own country.
25 But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of
Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and
there was a great famine throughout all the land;
26 but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the
region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet,
and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.
28 So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were
filled with wrath,
29 and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the
brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw
Him down over the cliff.
30 Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.
Scripture Reading 2 of 2



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------ SAINTS/FEASTS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Leavetaking of the Elevation of the Cross
Because of the Leavetaking of the Elevation of the Cross, the service
to St Quadratus of the Seventy is sung on September 22.
At the end of Liturgy, the priest comes out from the altar with a
censer, preceded by a deacon with a candle. Going to the center of the
church, he censes three times around the Cross. He takes the tray with
the Cross and places it on his head to carry it into the altar. The
deacon goes before him, censing the Cross. After placing the Cross on
the altar, the priest censes the four sides of the Holy Table.
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Apostle Quadratus of the Seventy
Saint Quadratus, Apostle of the Seventy preached the Word of God at
Athens and at Magnesia (eastern peninsula of Thessaly), and was Bishop
of Athens. His biographer called him "a morning star" among the clouds
of paganism. He converted many pagans to the true faith in Christ the
Savior, and his preaching aroused the hatred of the pagans. Once, an
angry mob fell upon the saint to pelt him with stones. Preserved by
God, St Quadratus remained alive, and they threw him into prison,
where he died of starvation. His holy body was buried in Magnesia.
In the year 126, St Quadratus wrote an Apologia in defence of
Christianity. Presented to the emperor Hadrian (117-138), the Apologia
affected the persecution of Christians, since the emperor issued a
decree saying that no one should be convicted without just cause. This
Apologia was known to the historian Eusebius in the fourth century. At
the present time, only part of this Apologia survives, quoted by
Eusebius: "The deeds of our Savior were always witnessed, because they
were true. His healings and raising people from the dead were visible
not only when they were healed and raised, but always. They lived not
only during the existence of the Savior upon the earth, but they also
remained alive long after His departure. Some, indeed, have survived
to our own time."
St Quadratus is also commemorated on January 4.
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Uncovering of the relics of St Demetrius (Dmitri) the
Metropolitan of Rostov
In 1702, Saint Demetrius, Metropolitan of Rostov, arrived at the
Rostov cathedral and also visited the monastery of St James, Bishop of
Rostov (November 27 and May 23).
He served Liturgy at the cathedral church of the Conception of the
Most Holy Theotokos, after which he indicated to those present the
site of his future burial on the right side of the temple. "Behold my
resting place," he said, "here I will settle for eternity." St
Demetrius reposed on October 28, 1709.
Contrary to the saint's wishes, which he expressed in his will, the
clergy and people of Rostov asked the locum tenens of the patriarchal
throne, Metropolitan Stephen Yavorsky of Ryazan, who had come for the
funeral, to conduct the burial at the cathedral church of the city.
Metropolitan Stephen insisted on burying the body of his deceased
friend beside St Joasaph, who was St Demetrius's predecessor. However,
a grave was not prepared until the arrival of Metropolitan Stephen,
even lthough about a month had elapsed since the saint's death.
Due to the urgent departure of Metropolitan Stephen from Rostov, a
hastily constructed wooden frame was placed into the grave, in which
the body of the saint was buried on November 25. This circumstance,
foreseen by the Providence of God, led to a quick uncovering of the
relics.
In 1752 repairs were being done at the cathedral church of the
monastery, and on September 21, the incorrupt body of St Demetrius was
discovered. The place of burial had been affected by dampness, the
oaken coffin and the writing on it were decayed, but the body of the
saint, and even the omophorion, sacchos, mitre and silken prayer rope
were preserved undamaged.
After the uncovering of the holy relics many healings were worked,
which were reported to the Synod, by whose order Metropolitan
Sylvester of Suzdal and Archimandrite Gabriel of Simonov arrived at
Rostov to examine the relics of St Demetrius, and to investigate the
incidents of miraculous healings.
A decree was issued by the Synod on April 29, 1757 numbering St
Demetrius, Metropolitan of Rostov among the saints, and establishing
his feastdays for October 28 (the day of his repose) and September 21
(the uncovering of his relics).
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Venerable Daniel the Abbot of Shuzhgorsk, Novgorod
Saint Daniel of Shugh Hill was born in the Moscow dominion in the
sixteenth century. He performed his ascetic labors in northern Rus,
where he became a monk at the Komel monastery, founded by St Cornelius
of Komel in 1498.
St Daniel left the monastery and continued a solitary ascetic life in
the unpopulated and forested White Lake hinterland, on a mountain
named Shugh Hill. Here the holy ascetic founded his monastery in honor
of the Transfiguration of the Lord. St Daniel was buried at a temple
in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord at the monastery that he
founded. In 1764, the monastery was turned into a parish.
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Venerable Joseph of Zaonikiev Monastery, Vologda
Saint Joseph of Zaonikiev, was named Hilarion in the world, a pious
peasant from the village of Obukhovo Kubensk in the region of the
Vologda gubernia. For a long time he suffered a disease of the eyes
and he fervently prayed for the help of the Lord, to the Most Holy
Theotokos, and to the Saints, in particular the holy Unmercenaries
Cosmas and Damian.
His prayer was heard, and in 1588, by a revelation of St Cosmas,
Hilarion went into the forest into a swampy place, to an icon of the
Mother of God, from which he received healing. In gratitude the monk
cleared a forest thicket at the place of the appearance of the
wonderworking icon and built a chapel, in which he placed the icon. He
himself settled close by, taking the monastic schema with the name of
Joseph.
Afterwards, with the blessing of St Anthony, Bishop of Vologda, on the
place of Joseph's ascetic exploits the Zaonikiev monastery emerged, so
named from the brigand Anikios who once dwelt in this forest. When the
monastery expanded and the number of monks grew, upon the advice of St
Joseph, Anthony was chosen as igumen. Joseph did not accept the
leadership himself out of humility. Since he concealed his own strict
exploits from the others, he was perceived as a fool-for-Christ. He
stood on his feet at prayer in his chapel, and he went about barefoot
in the fierce cold.
St Joseph reposed on September 21, 1612 at age 83, and was buried in
the monastery founded by him.
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Hieromartyr Hypatius the Bishop of Ephesus
Hieromartyr Hypatius, Bishop of Ephesus, and the Priest Andrew
suffered in the eighth century under the iconoclast emperor Leo the
Isaurian (717-741). As young men, they studied together in one of the
monasteries. St Hypatius accepted monasticism, and St Andrew became a
clergyman and zealously instructed people in the Christian Faith.
When the emperor Leo the Isaurian began to persecute those who
venerated holy icons, and the holy icons were thrown out of the
churches, to be trampled underfoot and burned, Sts Hypatius and Andrew
rose up in defence of icon veneration, urging their flock to maintain
faithfulness to Orthodoxy.
The emperor, wanting to persuade the saints, summoned them to him and
arranged a debate about the veneration of icons, at which Sts Hypatius
and Andrew were consistently able to defend the Orthodox veneration of
icons.
They threw the martyrs into prison and for a long time they held them
there, hoping that this would force the saints to renounce their
convictions, but the saints remained steadfast. Then the emperor gave
orders to torture the martyrs. They beat them, flayed the skin and
hair from their heads, smeared their beards with tar and set it afire,
and they burned holy icons upon the heads of the martyrs.
The saints bore all their tortures patiently and remained alive. The
emperor gave orders to drag the saints through the city to be mocked
by the people, and only after this to kill them. They threw the bodies
of Sts Hypatius and Andrew to be eaten by dogs, but believers
reverently gave them burial.
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Martyr Andrew the Presbyter of Ephesus
Hieromartyr Hypatius, Bishop of Ephesus, and the Priest Andrew
suffered in the eighth century under the iconoclast emperor Leo the
Isaurian (717-741). As young men, they studied together in one of the
monasteries. St Hypatius accepted monasticism, and St Andrew became a
clergyman and zealously instructed people in the Christian Faith.
When the emperor Leo the Isaurian began to persecute those who
venerated holy icons, and the holy icons were thrown out of the
churches, to be trampled underfoot and burned, Sts Hypatius and Andrew
rose up in defence of icon veneration, urging their flock to maintain
faithfulness to Orthodoxy.
The emperor, wanting to persuade the saints, summoned them to him and
arranged a debate about the veneration of icons, at which Sts Hypatius
and Andrew were consistently able to defend the Orthodox veneration of
icons.
They threw the martyrs into prison and for a long time they held them
there, hoping that this would force the saints to renounce their
convictions, but the saints remained steadfast. Then the emperor gave
orders to torture the martyrs. They beat them, flayed the skin and
hair from their heads, smeared their beards with tar and set it afire,
and they burned holy icons upon the heads of the martyrs.
The saints bore all their tortures patiently and remained alive. The
emperor gave orders to drag the saints through the city to be mocked
by the people, and only after this to kill them. They threw the bodies
of Sts Hypatius and Andrew to be eaten by dogs, but believers
reverently gave them burial.
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St Isaac of Cyprus
No information available at this time.
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St Meletius the Bishop of Cyprus
No information available at this time.
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Martyr Eusebius of Phoenicia
No information available at this time.
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Martyr Priscus of Phrygia
No information available at this time.
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26 Monk-Martyrs of Zographou of Mt Athos
In July of 1274, the Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII accepted a union
with the Roman Church at Lyons, France. Faced with dangers from
Charles of Anjou, the Ottoman Turks, and other enemies, the emperor
found such an alliance with Rome expedient. The Union of Lyons
required the Orthodox to recognize the authority of the Pope, the use
of the Filioque in the Creed, and the use of azymes (unleavened bread)
in the Liturgy. Patriarch Joseph was deposed because he would not
agree to these conditions. The monastic clergy and many of the laity,
both at home and in other Orthodox countries, vigorously opposed the
Union, denouncing the emperor for his political schemes and for his
betrayal of Orthodoxy.
On January 9, 1275 a Liturgy was celebrated in Constantinople in which
the Pope was commemorated as "Gregory, the chief pontiff of the
Apostolic Church, and Ecumenical Pope." The emperor's sister remarked,
"It is better that my brother's empire should perish, rather than the
purity of the Orthodox Faith." Recalling the infamous Crusade of 1204
when Latin crusaders sacked Constantinople, many of the people also
preferred to submit to the infidels than to abandon the Orthodox
Faith.
Twenty-six martyrs of Zographou Monastery on Mt. Athos were among
those who were persecuted by Emperor Michael VIII Paleologos
(1261-1282) and Patriarch John Bekkos (1275-1282) because they would
not obey the imperial command to recognize the Union of Lyons. They
steadfastly kept the teachings of the Fathers of the Church, and
fearlessly censured those who accepted Catholic doctrines.
When the authorities came to Mt. Athos to enforce the imperial policy,
the monks of Zographou shut themselves up in their monastery. From the
tower they reproached those in favor of the Union, calling them
lawless men and heretics. The attackers set the monastery on fire and
burned the twenty-six martyrs alive.
The names of the martyrs are: Igumen Thomas, the monks Barsanuphius,
Cyril, Micah, Simon, Hilarion, James, Job, Cyprian, Sava, James,
Martinian, Cosmas, Sergius, Menas, Joasaph, Joannicius, Paul, Anthony,
Euthymius, Dometian, Parthenius, and four laymen who died with them.
These holy martyrs are also commemorated on October 10.
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Venerable Cosmas the Bulgarian of Zographou of Mt Athos
Saint Cosmas was born in Bulgaria toward the end of the thirteenth
century, and entered the Zographou Monastery when he was young.
Distinguishing himself by his ascetical life, he also acquired the
virtues of humility and obedience. After a time, St Cosmas satisfied
his superiors that he had attained a level of experience and
perfection in monasticism which would permit him to live in solitude
without danger. St John of the Ladder (Step 8:18) describes the type
of person who should not be permitted to live alone following his own
will, and the pitfalls of such a life for those who have not cleansed
themselves of the passions. With the blessing of his spiritual Father,
St Cosmas left the monastery in order to begin even more intense
spiritual struggles.
Through humility, the God-pleasing ascetic attained the heights of
virtue, regarding all of his own efforts as nothing, and ascribing
whatever good he had accomplished to God's mercy and grace. Therefore,
he acquired spiritual gifts from the Lord, including the gift of
prophecy.
St Cosmas of Zographou fell asleep in the Lord on Mount Athos in 1323.
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