[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Sun Sep 23 05:00:12 CDT 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Sun Sep 23 2007

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Luke 24:36-53  (6th Matins Gospel)
36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of
them, and said to them, "Peace to you."
37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen
a spirit.
38 And He said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise
in your hearts?
39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and
see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.
40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.
41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said
to them, "Have you any food here?"
42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.
43 And He took it and ate in their presence.
44 Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you
while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which
were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms
concerning Me."
45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the
Scriptures.
46 Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was
necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third
day,
47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His
name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And you are witnesses of these things.
49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the
city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.
50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands
and blessed them.
51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from
them and carried up into heaven.
52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.
Scripture Reading 1 of 4

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2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1
16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are
the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them
And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My
people."
17 Therefore Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you."
18 I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the LORD Almighty."
1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in
the fear of God.
Scripture Reading 2 of 4

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Conception of the Honorable Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and
Baptist John
The Conception of the Venerable Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the
Lord, John: The holy Prophet Malachi prophesied that before the
Messiah's birth His Forerunner would appear, and would indicate His
coming. The Jews therefore in awaiting the Messiah also awaited the
appearance of His Forerunner.
In a city of the hills of Judea in the land of Palestine lived the
righteous priest St Zachariah and his wife St Elizabeth, zealously
observing the commandments of the Lord. The couple, however, had a
misfortune: they remained childless in their old age, and they prayed
unceasingly to God to grant them a child.
Once, when St Zachariah took his turn as priest at the Temple of
Jerusalem, he went into the Sanctuary to offer incense. Going behind
the veil of the Sanctuary, he beheld an angel of God standing at the
right side of the altar of incense.
St Zachariah was astonished and halted in fear, but the angel said to
him, "Fear not, Zachariah, for your prayer is heard; and your wife
Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John." But
Zachariah did not believe the words of the heavenly messenger, and
then the angel said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence
of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you the good
news. Behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day
that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my
words...."
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zachariah and they were
astonished that he had not come out from the Sanctuary after so long a
time. And when he did come out, he was supposed to pronounce a
blessing upon the people, but could not do so because he had been
struck speechless. When Zachariah explained by gestures that he was
unable to speak, the people then understood that he had experienced a
vision. The prophecy of the Archangel was fulfilled, and Righteous
Elizabeth was delivered from her barrenness, and gave birth to John,
the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord.
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St Xanthippe Disciple of the Apostles, who died in Spain
The Monastic Women Xanthippe and Polyxene were sisters by birth and
they lived in Spain in the time of the holy Apostles. They were among
the first to hear the divine teaching of Christ the Savior from the
holy Apostle Paul, when he preached in their land.
St Xanthippe and her husband Probus accepted Christianity, but St
Polyxene was still a pagan when a certain man became entranced with
her extraordinary beauty and forcibly carried her off to Greece on a
ship. The Lord preserved her unharmed. On the voyage, the saint heard
the preaching of the holy Apostle Peter and believed in Christ.
When she arrived in Greece, St Polyxene turned to the Christians for
protection and defense and they hid her in the city of Patra in
Achaia, where she formally accepted Christianity and was baptized by
the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called himself.
She became a witness to his miracles, and how he patiently and humbly
endured his sufferings and death. She stood at the cross upon which
they crucified the holy Apostle Andrew. After his martyric death, St
Polyxene returned to Spain, where she and her older sister Xanthippe
converted many pagans to Christ. St Polyxene toiled for about forty
years preaching the Gospel in Spain. St Xanthippe shared in her
sister's work and preached in the populous city of Toledo.
St Polyxene reposed in about the year 109, having preserved her
virginity to the end of her earthly life.
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St Polyxene the Disciple of the Apostles, who died in Spain
The Monastic Women Xanthippe and Polyxene were sisters by birth and
they lived in Spain in the time of the holy Apostles. They were among
the first to hear the divine teaching of Christ the Savior from the
holy Apostle Paul, when he preached in their land.
St Xanthippe and her husband Probus accepted Christianity, but St
Polyxene was still a pagan when a certain man became entranced with
her extraordinary beauty and forcibly carried her off to Greece on a
ship. The Lord preserved her unharmed. On the voyage, the saint heard
the preaching of the holy Apostle Peter and believed in Christ.
When she arrived in Greece, St Polyxene turned to the Christians for
protection and defense and they hid her in the city of Patra in
Achaia, where she formally accepted Christianity and was baptized by
the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called himself.
She became a witness to his miracles, and how he patiently and humbly
endured his sufferings and death. She stood at the cross upon which
they crucified the holy Apostle Andrew. After his martyric death, St
Polyxene returned to Spain, where she and her older sister Xanthippe
converted many pagans to Christ. St Polyxene toiled for about forty
years preaching the Gospel in Spain. St Xanthippe shared in her
sister's work and preached in the populous city of Toledo.
St Polyxene reposed in about the year 109, having preserved her
virginity to the end of her earthly life.
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Virginmartyr Irais (Rhais) of Alexandria
The Holy Martyr Iraida lived at Alexandria. Once, she went to a well
to draw water and saw a ship at the shore. On board were a large
number of men, women, clergy and monks, all fettered in chains for
their confession of the Christian Faith.
Casting aside her water pitcher, the saint voluntarily joined the
prisoners for Christ, and fetters were placed on her, too. When the
ship arrived in the Egyptian city of Antipolis, St Iraida was the
first to undergo fierce torments and was beheaded with the sword.
After her, the other martyrs sealed their confession of faith in
Christ with their blood.
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Martyr Andrew of Syracuse, martyred in Africa
The Holy Martyrs Andrew and John, and John's Children Peter and
Antoninus, suffered in the ninth century in the time of the cruel
African ruler Ibrahim. After the capture and destruction of the
Sicilian city of Syracuse, Ibrahim captured and brought to Africa St
John and his two children, Peter and Antoninus, whom he compelled to
study the Arab language and sciences.
When the youths had grown, Prince Ibrahim was so fond of them for
their wisdom and virtuous life, that he named Antoninus his kinsman,
and he appointed Peter as his chief steward. Once he learned that the
youths secretly confessed faith in Christ, however, Ibrahim flew into
a furious rage, ordering them to be bound with iron shackles and
beaten with knotted rods.
After prolonged scourging, they put St Antoninus on a donkey, tied him
on with straps, then drove him through the city, beating and
ridiculing him with abuse. The martyr endured all the insults and gave
thanks to God. St Peter was thrown into prison after a fierce beating
with the rods.
An order was issued to arrest John, the father of the holy martyrs.
The brutal Ibrahim grabbed him by the neck with his left hand, and
with his right he thrust a knife into his throat. They threw the body
of the father together with the bodies of his sons. They then lit a
large fire and cast the bodies of the holy martyrs into it.
As for St Andrew, the torturer wore him down with hunger, and then ran
him through with a spear in the chest. When the martyr prayerfully
began to give thanks to God, Ibrahim ran him through a second time. As
he lay dying from loss of blood, they beheaded the righteous martyr
with a sword.
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Martyr John of Syracuse, Martyred in Africa
The Holy Martyrs Andrew and John, and John's Children Peter and
Antoninus, suffered in the ninth century in the time of the cruel
African ruler Ibrahim. After the capture and destruction of the
Sicilian city of Syracuse, Ibrahim captured and brought to Africa St
John and his two children, Peter and Antoninus, whom he compelled to
study the Arab language and sciences.
When the youths had grown, Prince Ibrahim was so fond of them for
their wisdom and virtuous life, that he named Antoninus his kinsman,
and he appointed Peter as his chief steward. Once he learned that the
youths secretly confessed faith in Christ, however, Ibrahim flew into
a furious rage, ordering them to be bound with iron shackles and
beaten with knotted rods.
After prolonged scourging, they put St Antoninus on a donkey, tied him
on with straps, then drove him through the city, beating and
ridiculing him with abuse. The martyr endured all the insults and gave
thanks to God. St Peter was thrown into prison after a fierce beating
with the rods.
An order was issued to arrest John, the father of the holy martyrs.
The brutal Ibrahim grabbed him by the neck with his left hand, and
with his right he thrust a knife into his throat. They threw the body
of the father together with the bodies of his sons. They then lit a
large fire and cast the bodies of the holy martyrs into it.
As for St Andrew, the torturer wore him down with hunger, and then ran
him through with a spear in the chest. When the martyr prayerfully
began to give thanks to God, Ibrahim ran him through a second time. As
he lay dying from loss of blood, they beheaded the righteous martyr
with a sword.
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Martyr Peter of Syracuse with his father John, martyred in
Africa
The Holy Martyrs Andrew and John, and John's Children Peter and
Antoninus, suffered in the ninth century in the time of the cruel
African ruler Ibrahim. After the capture and destruction of the
Sicilian city of Syracuse, Ibrahim captured and brought to Africa St
John and his two children, Peter and Antoninus, whom he compelled to
study the Arab language and sciences.
When the youths had grown, Prince Ibrahim was so fond of them for
their wisdom and virtuous life, that he named Antoninus his kinsman,
and he appointed Peter as his chief steward. Once he learned that the
youths secretly confessed faith in Christ, however, Ibrahim flew into
a furious rage, ordering them to be bound with iron shackles and
beaten with knotted rods.
After prolonged scourging, they put St Antoninus on a donkey, tied him
on with straps, then drove him through the city, beating and
ridiculing him with abuse. The martyr endured all the insults and gave
thanks to God. St Peter was thrown into prison after a fierce beating
with the rods.
An order was issued to arrest John, the father of the holy martyrs.
The brutal Ibrahim grabbed him by the neck with his left hand, and
with his right he thrust a knife into his throat. They threw the body
of the father together with the bodies of his sons. They then lit a
large fire and cast the bodies of the holy martyrs into it.
As for St Andrew, the torturer wore him down with hunger, and then ran
him through with a spear in the chest. When the martyr prayerfully
began to give thanks to God, Ibrahim ran him through a second time. As
he lay dying from loss of blood, they beheaded the righteous martyr
with a sword.
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Martyr Antoninus of Syracuse with his father John, martyred
in Africa
The Holy Martyrs Andrew and John, and John's Children Peter and
Antoninus, suffered in the ninth century in the time of the cruel
African ruler Ibrahim. After the capture and destruction of the
Sicilian city of Syracuse, Ibrahim captured and brought to Africa St
John and his two children, Peter and Antoninus, whom he compelled to
study the Arab language and sciences.
When the youths had grown, Prince Ibrahim was so fond of them for
their wisdom and virtuous life, that he named Antoninus his kinsman,
and he appointed Peter as his chief steward. Once he learned that the
youths secretly confessed faith in Christ, however, Ibrahim flew into
a furious rage, ordering them to be bound with iron shackles and
beaten with knotted rods.
After prolonged scourging, they put St Antoninus on a donkey, tied him
on with straps, then drove him through the city, beating and
ridiculing him with abuse. The martyr endured all the insults and gave
thanks to God. St Peter was thrown into prison after a fierce beating
with the rods.
An order was issued to arrest John, the father of the holy martyrs.
The brutal Ibrahim grabbed him by the neck with his left hand, and
with his right he thrust a knife into his throat. They threw the body
of the father together with the bodies of his sons. They then lit a
large fire and cast the bodies of the holy martyrs into it.
As for St Andrew, the torturer wore him down with hunger, and then ran
him through with a spear in the chest. When the martyr prayerfully
began to give thanks to God, Ibrahim ran him through a second time. As
he lay dying from loss of blood, they beheaded the righteous martyr
with a sword.
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Icon of the Mother of God of Slovenka
The Slovenka Icon of the Mother of God manifested itself on September
23, 1635 at the village of Slovenka, Kostroma district. A certain
hunter while hunting by chance discovered a small rickety church,
overgrown with moss. He went inside and saw that all the church
utensils had rotted with time, except for the altar icon of the Mother
of God, which was perfectly unharmed. A monastery was afterwards built
at this place.
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