[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Fri Apr 18 05:00:18 CDT 2008

Scripture Readings and Saints for Fri Apr 18 2008

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Isaiah 66:10-24  (6th Hour)
10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, And be glad with her, all you who love her;
Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;
11 That you may feed and be satisfied With the consolation of her
bosom, That you may drink deeply and be delighted With the abundance
of her glory.
12 For thus says the Lord: Behold, I will extend peace to her like a
river, And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you
shall feed; On her sides shall you be carried, And be dandled on her
knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you
shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
14 When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, And your bones shall
flourish like grass; The hand of the Lord shall be known to His
servants, And His indignation to His enemies.
15 For behold, the Lord will come with fire And with His chariots,
like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with
flames of fire.
16 For by fire and by His sword The Lord will judge all flesh; And the
slain of the Lord shall be many.
17 Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the
gardens After an idol in the midst, Eating swines flesh and the
abomination and the mouse, Shall be consumed together, says the Lord.
18 For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will
gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory.
19 I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I
will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the
bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not
heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare
20 Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord
out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules
and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, as the
children of Israel bring an offering in a cle
21 And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites, says the
Lord.
22 For as the new heavens and the new earth Which I will make shall
remain before Me, says the Lord, So shall your descendants and your
name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And
from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before
Me, says the Lord.
24 And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who
have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their
fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.
Scripture Reading 1 of 3

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Genesis 49:33-50:26  (Vespers, 1st Reading)
33 And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet
up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.
1 Then Joseph fell on his fathers face, and wept over him, and kissed
him.
2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his
father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.
3 Forty days were required for him, for such are the days required for
those who are embalmed; and the Egyptians mourned for him seventy
days.
4 Now when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the
household of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found favor in your eyes,
please speak in the hearing of Pharaoh, saying,
5 My father made me swear, saying, Behold, I am dying; in my grave
which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.
Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come
back.
6 And Pharaoh said, Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.
7 So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the
servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of
the land of Egypt,
8 as well as all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his fathers
house. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds they left
in the land of Goshen.
9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen, and it was a
very great gathering.
10 Then they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the
Jordan, and they mourned there with a great and very solemn
lamentation. He observed seven days of mourning for his father.
11 And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the
mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, This is a deep
mourning of the Egyptians. Therefore its name was called Abel Mizraim,
which is beyond the Jordan.
12 So his sons did for him just as he had commanded them.
13 For his sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in
the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre, which Abraham bought
with the field from Ephron the Hittite as property for a burial place.
14 And after he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he
and his brothers and all who went up with him to bury his father.
15 When Josephs brothers saw that their father was dead, they said,
Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the
evil which we did to him.
16 So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, Before your father died
he commanded, saying,
17 Thus you shall say to Joseph: I beg you, please forgive the
trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.
Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your
father. And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
18 Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they
said, Behold, we are your servants.
19 Joseph said to them, Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of
God?
20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for
good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many
people alive.
21 Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your
little ones. And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
22 So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his fathers household. And Joseph
lived one hundred and ten years.
23 Joseph saw Ephraims children to the third generation. The children
of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Josephs knees.
24 And Joseph said to his brethren, I am dying; but God will surely
visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He
swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
25 Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, God
will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.
26 So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they
embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Scripture Reading 2 of 3

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Proverbs 31:8-31  (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
8 Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are
appointed to die.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor
and needy.
10 Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack
of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, She brings her food from afar.
15 She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her
household, And a portion for her maidservants.
16 She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a
vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength, And strengthens her arms.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good, And her lamp does not
go out by night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the
spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to
the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household
is clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and
purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of
the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies sashes for
the merchants.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to
come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of
kindness.
27 She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the
bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he
praises her:
29 Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the
Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise
her in the gates.
Scripture Reading 3 of 3

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Venerable John the Disciple of the Venerable Gregory of
Decapolis
Saint John was born at the end of the eighth century. At a young age
he became a disciple of St Gregory of Decapolis (November 20) and
accepted monastic tonsure from him at a monastery in Thessalonica.
Under the guidance of this experienced teacher, St John attained great
spiritual perfection.
When the emperor Leo the Armenian (813-820) renewed the persecution
against Orthodox Christians because they venerated the holy icons, St
Gregory of Decapolis and St Joseph the Hymnographer (April 4) and his
disciple St John went from Thessalonica to Constantinople, to raise
opposition to the Iconoclast heresy.
In spite of persecution, Sts Gregory and John fearlessly defended
Orthodoxy for several years, and preached the veneration of icons.
After many hardships St Gregory died (around 820), and soon after, his
faithful disciple John also departed to the Lord. St Joseph the
Hymnographer transferred the relics of Sts Gregory and John and placed
them in the church of St Nicholas the Wonderworker.
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Martyr Victor of Nicomedia
The Holy Martyrs Victor, Zoticus, Acindynus, Zeno, Severian and
Caesarius suffered under the emperor Diocletian (284-305) when he
began a fierce persecution against Christians. One of the first to
suffer was the holy Great Martyr and Victory-Bearer George (April 23).
St George's unshakable faith and bravery during his suffering led many
pagans to Christ.
The saints were struck with astonishment that St George suffered no
harm from the wheel of torture, and they declared in the hearing of
all that they also believed in Christ. At the judge's order, the holy
martyrs were beheaded at Nicomedia in 303.
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Martyr Zoticus of Nicomedia
The Holy Martyrs Zoticus, Victor, Acindynus, Zeno, Severian and
Caesarius suffered under the emperor Diocletian (284-305) when he
began a fierce persecution against Christians. One of the first to
suffer was the holy Great Martyr and Victory-Bearer George (April 23).
St George's unshakable faith and bravery during his suffering led many
pagans to Christ.
The saints were struck with astonishment that St George suffered no
harm from the wheel of torture, and they declared in the hearing of
all that they also believed in Christ. At the judge's order, the holy
martyrs were beheaded at Nicomedia in 303.
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Martyr Zeno of Nicomedia
The Holy Martyrs Zeno, Victor, Zoticus, Acindynus, Severian and
Caesarius suffered under the emperor Diocletian (284-305) when he
began a fierce persecution against Christians. One of the first to
suffer was the holy Great Martyr and Victory-Bearer George (April 23).
St George's unshakable faith and bravery during his suffering led many
pagans to Christ.
The saints were struck with astonishment that St George suffered no
harm from the wheel of torture, and they declared in the hearing of
all that they also believed in Christ. At the judge's order, the holy
martyrs were beheaded at Nicomedia in 303.
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Martyr Acindynus of Nicomedia
The Holy Martyrs Acindynus, Victor, Zoticus, Zeno, Severian and
Caesarius suffered under the emperor Diocletian (284-305) when he
began a fierce persecution against Christians. One of the first to
suffer was the holy Great Martyr and Victory-Bearer George (April 23).
St George's unshakable faith and bravery during his suffering led many
pagans to Christ.
The saints were struck with astonishment that St George suffered no
harm from the wheel of torture, and they declared in the hearing of
all that they also believed in Christ. At the judge's order, the holy
martyrs were beheaded at Nicomedia in 303.
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Martyr Severian of Nicomedia
The Holy Martyrs Severian, Victor, Zoticus, Acindynus, Zeno, and
Caesarius suffered under the emperor Diocletian (284-305) when he
began a fierce persecution against Christians. One of the first to
suffer was the holy Great Martyr and Victory-Bearer George (April 23).
St George's unshakable faith and bravery during his suffering led many
pagans to Christ.
The saints were struck with astonishment that St George suffered no
harm from the wheel of torture, and they declared in the hearing of
all that they also believed in Christ. At the judge's order, the holy
martyrs were beheaded at Nicomedia in 303.
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St Cosmas the Bishop of Chalcedon
Saint Cosmas, Bishop of Chalcedon, and his companion St Auxentius,
lived during the ninth century, at a time when the Iconoclasts
oppressed the Orthodox. St Cosmas while still in his youth had entered
a monastery and received monastic tonsure. Later, he was consecrated
as Bishop of Chalcedon, and zealously defended the Orthodox Faith
against the Iconoclast heretics. St Auxentius helped the saint in this
struggle.
The Iconoclasts tried in many ways to win the saint over to their
side, but he remained faithful to Orthodoxy until the very end. St
Cosmas did not obey the decree of Emperor Leo the Armenian (813-820)
ordering the removal of the holy icons from the churches. For this he
was expelled from his See and exiled to prison.
When the saint returned from exile, he and St Auxentius continued to
defend the veneration of holy icons. At the mitigation of the
persecution, St Cosmas was weak in body, but remained strong in
spirit. St Cosmas and St Auxentius steadfastly preserved the Orthodox
Faith until the end of their lives.
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St Auxentius the Ascetic
No information available at this time.
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New Martyr John the New of Epirus
The Holy Martyr John Kulikos was born in the Greek district of Epirus,
in the city of Ioannina. His parents were pious, but he was orphaned
at an early age, and he went to Constantinople. With the means left
him by his parents, he built a small stall in the city bazaar and was
occupied with trade.
He loved to work, he honorably filled all his orders, and his business
was successful. However, his soul did not yearn for earthly blessings,
but for the Kingdom of Heaven.
St John lived during difficult times. Constantinople was under the
dominion of the Turks, and Christians were subjected to oppressions.
Many Christian tradesmen and merchants went over to the Moslem
religion. St John reproached them for their betrayal of Christ, and he
also sustained the unwavering in their faith. The apostates were
filled with hatred for St John, and they desired his ruin. The saint
knew this, but was not afraid. He was willing to suffer for Christ.
On Great and Holy Friday he went to his spiritual Father and asked his
blessing to seek martyrdom. The priest counselled the youth to examine
himself and to prepare himself by fasting and prayer, so that at the
time of torture he would not deny Christ. St John prayed ardently to
the Lord to strengthen him. At night on Great and Holy Saturday he saw
himself in a dream, standing in a fiery furnace and singing praises to
the Lord. Interpreting this vision as an indication to go to
martyrdom, St John received the Holy Mysteries and asked the priest's
blessing.
When St John arrived at the market, the vexed tradesmen began to
reproach him that he had promised to renounced Christ, but that he was
not fulfilling his word. In reply, the martyr declared that he was a
Christian and had never renounced, nor would he ever renounce Christ.
Then the envious merchants had him arrested. The judge tried to
persuade St John to accept Islam, for he respected him as a skilled
master craftsman. But the martyr steadfastly confessed himself a
Christian. For several days, they wearied him with hunger and thirst,
and beat him without mercy. They sentenced the martyr to be burned
alive.
St John met his sentence with joy. When they led him to the blazing
fire, he went boldly into the midst of the flames. The torturers,
seeing that St John was prepared to die in the fire, pulled him out
and beheaded him with the sword (+ 1526). They then threw the martyr's
head and body into the fire.
Christians gathered up the bones of the martyr which remained from the
fire, and reverently brought them to the cathedral church.
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Venerable Euthymius the Enlightener of Karelia and Finland
Saints Euthymius, Anthony, and Felix lived a life of asceticism in
Karelia about the year 1410. St Euthymius founded the Karelian
Nikolaev monastery. Hardly had he completed the church of St Nicholas
and several cells, than Norwegians descended upon the monastery,
burned the church and killed several of the monks in 1419. St
Euthymius decided to rebuild.
The noble Martha asked prayers at the monastery for her sons who died
in 1418 (they were the sons of Martha's first husband, Philip).
Exploring the land, the young brothers perished at the mouth of the
North Dvina River, and they were buried at the Karelian Nikolaev
monastery.
In life, they were distinguished for their works of charity. Their
names were listed in the manuscript Lives of the Saints of the
Karelian monastery. A chapel was built over the graves of the holy
brothers, and in the year 1719, a church in honor of the Meeting of
the Lord.
St Euthymius was glorified for his apostolic labors in the
enlightenment of the people of Karelia. He died in the year 1435, and
his relics were uncovered in 1647. There is a service to Sts
Euthymius, Anthony and Felix.
St Euthymius is also listed under January 20 in the "Iconographic
Originals" because of his namesake St Euthymius the Great.
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Icon of the Mother of God of St Maximus
The Maximov Icon of the Mother of God was painted in the year 1299
following Her appearance to St Maximus, Metropolitan of Vladimir
(December 6). A description of this vision was inscribed on the left
side of his crypt. The icon shows the Mother of God in full stature
with the Christ Child in Her left hand. With Her right hand, she
offers Metropolitan Maximus (depicted on his knees, or sometimes
standing) a bishop's omophorion.
The Mother of God appeared to St Maximus when he arrived in Vladimir
from Kiev. In the vision, She gave the omophorion to him saying, "My
servant Maximus, it is good that you have come to visit My city. Take
this omophorion and shepherd the flock of My city." When the saint
awoke, the omophorion lay in his hands.
The appearance of the Mother of God was a sign of approval for the
transfer of the metropolitan See from Kiev to Vladimir. The omophorion
given by the Mother of God was preserved at the Dormition cathedral in
Vladimir for 112 years. In 1412, during an incursion of the Tatars,
the omophorion was hidden by the cathedral's doorkeeper Patrick, who
was martyred by the Tatars.
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St Basil Ratishvili of Georgia
Saint Basil Ratishvili, one of the most prominent figures of the
13th-century Church, was the uncle of Catholicos Ekvtime III. He
labored with the other Georgian fathers at the Iveron Monastery on Mt.
Athos. Endowed with the gift of prophecy, St. Basil beheld a vision in
which the Most Holy Theotokos called upon him to censure King Demetres
impious rule. (This is actually St. Demetre the Devoted, who in his
youth lived profligately but later laid down his life for his nation.)
Having arrived in Georgia and been brought before the king, the
God-fearing father denounced the sovereigns uncrowned marriage [i.e.,
a conjugal union without the blessing of the Church]. He promised the
king that if he abandoned his present way of life, he would find great
happiness and success. St. Basil also condemned the ungodly ways of
Georgias apostate feudal lords.
But the king and his court disregarded the virtuous elders
admonitions, and in response St. Basil prophesied: A vicious enemy
will kill you, and your kingdom will remain without refuge. Your
children will be scattered, your kingdom conquered, and all your
wealth seized. Know that, according to the will of the Most Holy
Theotokos, everything I have told you will come to pass unless you
repent and turn from this way of life. Now I will depart from you in
peace.
St. Basil returned to Mt. Athos and peacefully reposed at the Iveron
Monastery.
His vision was fulfilled.
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St Athanasia the Wonder-worker
No information available at this time.
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