[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Sat Apr 26 05:00:40 CDT 2008

Scripture Readings and Saints for Sat Apr 26 2008

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Ezekiel 37:1-14  (Matins)
1 The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit
of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was
full of bones.
2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were
very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry.
3 And He said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? So I answered,
O Lord God, You know.
4 Again He said to me, Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, O dry
bones, hear the word of the Lord!
5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Surely I will cause breath to
enter into you, and you shall live.
6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with
skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know
that I am the Lord.
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a
noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to
bone.
8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and
the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
9 Also He said to me, Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man,
and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four
winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.
10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and
they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
11 Then He said to me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of
Israel. They indeed say, Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we
ourselves are cut off!
12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold,
O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from
your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
13 Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your
graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves.
14 I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place
you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have
spoken it and performed it, says the Lord.
Scripture Reading 1 of 21

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1 Corinthians 5:6-8  (Matins, Epistle)
6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven
leavens the whole lump?
7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump,
since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was
sacrificed for us.
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the
leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of
sincerity and truth.
Scripture Reading 2 of 21

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Galatians 3:13-14  (Matins, Epistle)
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a
curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a
tree"),
14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ
Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Scripture Reading 3 of 21

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Matthew 27:62-66  (Matins, Gospel)
62 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief
priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate,
63 saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that
deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'
64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day,
lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the
people, 'He has risen from the dead.' So the last deception will be
worse than the first.
65 Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as
secure as you know how."
66 So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and
setting the guard.
Scripture Reading 4 of 21

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Genesis 1:1-13  (Vespers, 1st Reading)
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face
of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the
waters.
3 Then God said, Let there be light; and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light
from the darkness.
5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the
evening and the morning were the first day.
6 Then God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters,
and let it divide the waters from the waters.
7 Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under
the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it
was so.
8 And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning
were the second day.
9 Then God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together
into one place, and let the dry land appear; and it was so.
10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of
the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that
yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its
kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth; and it was so.
12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed
according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is
in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.
Scripture Reading 5 of 21

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Isaiah 60:1-16  (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
1 Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is
risen upon you.
2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness
the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be
seen upon you.
3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness
of your rising.
4 Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together,
they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters
shall be nursed at your side.
5 Then you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell
with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, The
wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.
6 The multitude of camels shall cover your land, The dromedaries of
Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring
gold and incense, And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.
7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you, The rams
of Nebaioth shall minister to you; They shall ascend with acceptance
on My altar, And I will glorify the house of My glory.
8 Who are these who fly like a cloud, And like doves to their roosts?
9 Surely the coastlands shall wait for Me; And the ships of Tarshish
will come first, To bring your sons from afar, Their silver and their
gold with them, To the name of the Lord your God, And to the Holy One
of Israel, Because He has glorified you.
10 The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, And their kings
shall minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, But in My favor I
have had mercy on you.
11 Therefore your gates shall be open continually; They shall not be
shut day or night, That men may bring to you the wealth of the
Gentiles, And their kings in procession.
12 For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish,
And those nations shall be utterly ruined.
13 The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, The cypress, the pine, and
the box tree together, To beautify the place of My sanctuary; And I
will make the place of My feet glorious.
14 Also the sons of those who afflicted you Shall come bowing to you,
And all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of
your feet; And they shall call you The City of the Lord, Zion of the
Holy One of Israel.
15 Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, So that no one went
through you, I will make you an eternal excellence, A joy of many
generations.
16 You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles, And milk the breast of
kings; You shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior And your
Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
Scripture Reading 6 of 21

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Exodus 12:1-11  (Vespers, 3rd Reading)
1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
2 This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first
month of the year to you.
3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: On the tenth of
this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the
house of his father, a lamb for a household.
4 And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his
neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the
persons; according to each mans need you shall make your count for the
lamb.
5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You
may take it from the sheep or from the goats.
6 Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month.
Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at
twilight.
7 And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two
doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.
8 Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with
unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
9 Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in
fireits head with its legs and its entrails.
10 You shall let none of it remain until morning, and what remains of
it until morning you shall burn with fire.
11 And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals
on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in
haste. It is the Lords Passover.
Scripture Reading 7 of 21

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Jonah 1:1-4:11  (Vespers, 4th Reading)
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amit'tai, saying
2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their
wickedness has come up before me.
3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from presence of the Lord. He
went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the
fare, and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the
presence of the Lord.
4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a
mighty tempest on the sea, so that he ship threatened to break up.
5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried to his god; and they
threw the wares that were in the ship onto the sea, to lighten it for
them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and lad
lain down, and was fast asleep.
6 So the captain came and said to him, "What do you mean, you sleeper?
Arise, call upon your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us,
that we do not perish."
7 And they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may
know on whose account this evil has come upon us." So they cast lots,
and the lot fell upon Jonah.
8 Then they said to him, "Tell us, on whose account this evil has come
upon us? What is you occupation? And whence do you come? What is your
country? And of what people are you?"
9 And he said to them, "I am a Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of
heaven, who made the sea and the dry land."
10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, "What is
this that you have done!" For the men knew that he was fleeing from
the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.
11 Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may
quite down for us?" For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.
12 He said to them, "Take me up and throw me into the sea; then the
sea will quite down for you; for I know its because of me that this
great tempest has come upon you."
13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring the ship back toland, but
they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against
them.
14 Therefore the cried to the Lord, "We beseech thee, O Lord, let us
not perish for this man's life, and lay noit on us innocent blood; for
thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee."
15 So they took up Jonah and threw him into the sea; and the sea
ceased from its raging.
16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a
sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.
17 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah
was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish,
2 saying, "I called to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered
me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and thou didst hear my voice.
3 For thou didst cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas,
and the flood was round about me; all thy waves and thy billows passed
over me.
4 Then I said, 'I am cast out from my presence; how shall I again look
upon thy holy temple?'
5 The waters closed in over me, the deep was round about me; weeds
were wrapped about my head
6 at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars
closed upon me for ever; yet thou didst bring up my life from the Pit,
O Lord my God.
7 When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer
came to thee, into the holy temple.
8 Those who payregard to vain idols forsake their true loyalty.
9 But I with the voice of Thanksgiving will sacrifice to thee; what I
have vowed I will pay. Deliverance belongs to the Lord!"
10 And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the
dry land.
1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying,
2 Arise, go to Nin'eveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the
message that I tell you.
3 So Jonah arose and went to Nin'eveh, according to the word of the
Lord. Now Nin'eveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey
in breadth.
4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he
cried, "yet forty days, Nin'eveh shall be overthrown!"
5 And the people of Nin'eveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and
put on sackcloth. From the greatest of them to the least of them.
6 The tidings reached the king of Non'eveh, and he arose from his
throne, removed his robe, and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat
in ashes.
7 And he made proclamation and published through Nin'eveh, "By the
decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor
flock, taste anything; let them not feed, or drink water,
8 but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them cry
mightily to God; yea, let every one turn from his evil way and from
the violence which his is in his hands.
9 Who knows, God may yet repent and turn from his fierce anger, so
that we perish not?"
10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way,
God repented of the evil which he had said he would do to them; and he
did not do it.
1 But it displeased Jonah exceedlingly, and he was angry.
2 And he prayed to the Lord and said, "I pray thee, Lord, is not this
what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to
flee to Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God and
merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast lo
3 Therefore now, O Lord, take my life from me, I beseech thee, for it
is better for me to die than live."
4 And the Lord, "Do you do well to be angry?"
5 Then Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city, and
made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in shade, till he
should see what would become of the city.
6 And the Lord God appointed a plant, and made it come up over Jonah,
that it might be shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort.
So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant.
7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm which
attacked the plant, so that it withered.
8 And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement
east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah's head, so that he grew faint.
Then he wished death for himself, and said, "It is better for me to
die than to live."
9 But God said to Jonah, "Do you do wellto be angry for the plant?"
And he said, "I do well to be angry, angry enough to die."
10 And the Lord said, "you pity the plant, for which you did not
labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night, and
perished in a night.
11 And should I not pity Nin'eveh, that great city, in which there are
more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their
right hand from their left, and also much cattle?"
Scripture Reading 8 of 21

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Joshua 5:10-15   (Vespers, 5th Reading)
10 Now the children of Israel camped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover
on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight on the plains of
Jericho.
11 And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the
Passover, unleavened bread and parched grain, on the very same day.
12 Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce
of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they
ate the food of the land of Canaan that year.
13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his
eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword
drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You
for us or for our adversaries?"
14 So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have
now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and
said to Him, "What does my Lord say to His servant?"
15 Then the Commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, "Take your
sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy." And
Joshua did so.
Scripture Reading 9 of 21

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Exodus 13:20-15:19  (Vespers, 6th Reading)
20 So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the
edge of the wilderness.
21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead
the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to
go by day and night.
22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of
fire by night from before the people.
1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
2 Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi
Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall
camp before it by the sea.
3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are bewildered
by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.
4 Then I will harden Pharaohs heart, so that he will pursue them; and
I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the
Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so.
5 Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the
heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and
they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from
serving us?
6 So he made ready his chariot and took his people with him.
7 Also, he took six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of
Egypt with captains over every one of them.
8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he
pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out
with boldness.
9 So the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of
Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the
sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon.
10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their
eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very
afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.
11 Then they said to Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt,
have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt
with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?
12 Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, Let us
alone that we may serve the Egyptians? For it would have been better
for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the
wilderness.
13 And Moses said to the people, Do not be afraid. Stand still, and
see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today.
For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more
forever.
14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.
15 And the Lord said to Moses, Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children
of Israel to go forward.
16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and
divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through
the midst of the sea.
17 And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they
shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his
army, his chariots, and his horsemen.
18 Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have
gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.
19 And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and
went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and
stood behind them.
20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of
Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light
by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all
that night.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused
the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the
sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.
22 So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry
ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on
their left.
23 And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the
sea, all Pharaohs horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24 Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the Lord looked
down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and
cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians.
25 And He took offa their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with
difficulty; and the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of
Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.
26 Then the Lord said to Moses, Stretch out your hand over the sea,
that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots,
and on their horsemen.
27 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning
appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were
fleeing into it. So the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of
the sea.
28 Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen,
and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so
much as one of them remained.
29 But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of
the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on
their left.
30 So the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians,
and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
31 Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so
the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant
Moses.
1 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord,
and spoke, saying: I will sing to the Lord, For He has triumphed
gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!
2 The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He
is my God, and I will praise Him; My fathers God, and I will exalt
Him.
3 The Lord is a man of war; The Lord is His name.
4 Pharaohs chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; His chosen
captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.
5 The depths have covered them; They sank to the bottom like a stone.
6 Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power; Your right
hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.
7 And in the greatness of Your excellence You have overthrown those
who rose against You; You sent forth Your wrath; It consumed them like
stubble.
8 And with the blast of Your nostrils The waters were gathered
together; The floods stood upright like a heap; The depths congealed
in the heart of the sea.
9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the
spoil; My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, My
hand shall destroy them.
10 You blew with Your wind, The sea covered them; They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.
11 Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious
in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12 You stretched out Your right hand; The earth swallowed them.
13 You in Your mercy have led forth The people whom You have redeemed;
You have guided them in Your strength To Your holy habitation.
14 The people will hear and be afraid; Sorrow will take hold of the
inhabitants of Philistia.
15 Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; The mighty men of Moab,
Trembling will take hold of them; All the inhabitants of Canaan will
melt away.
16 Fear and dread will fall on them; By the greatness of Your arm They
will be as still as a stone, Till Your people pass over, O Lord, Till
the people pass over Whom You have purchased.
17 You will bring them in and plant them In the mountain of Your
inheritance, In the place, O Lord, which You have made For Your own
dwelling, The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.
18 The Lord shall reign forever and ever.
19 For the horses of Pharaoh went with his chariots and his horsemen
into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon
them. But the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the
sea.
Scripture Reading 10 of 21

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Zephaniah 3:8-15  (Vespers, 7th Reading)
8 "Therefore wait for Me," says the Lord, "Until the day I rise up for
plunder; My determination is to gather the nations To My assembly of
kingdoms, To pour on them My indignation, All my fierce anger; All the
earth shall be devoured With the fire of My jealousy.
9 "For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, That they
all may call on the name of the Lord, To serve Him with one accord.
10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, The daughter of
My dispersed ones, Shall bring My offering.
11 In that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds In which
you transgress against Me; For then I will take away from your midst
Those who rejoice in your pride, And you shall no longer be haughty In
My holy mountain.
12 I will leave in your midst A meek and humble people, And they shall
trust in the name of the Lord.
13 The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness And speak no
lies, Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; For they
shall feed their flocks and lie down, And no one shall make them
afraid."
14 Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with
all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; You shall see disaster
no more.
Scripture Reading 11 of 21

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The Scripture Readings for
[31][LINK] April 26, 2008 [32][LINK]
Scripture Reading 12 of 21
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[37]Today's commemorated feasts and saints... _GREAT AND HOLY
SATURDAY._ Hieromartyr Basil, Bishop of Amasea (ca. 322). St. Stephen,
Bishop of Perm (1396). Righteous Virgin Glaphyra (322). St. Joannicius
of Devich in Serbia (13th c.).
3 [1] Kings 17:8-24  (Vespers, 8th Reading)
8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying,
9 Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there.
See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.
10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of
the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to
her and said, "Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may
drink."
11 And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, "Please
bring me a morsel of bread in your hand."
12 So she said, "As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only
a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am
gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for
myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die."
13 And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said,
but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and
afterward make some for yourself and your son.
14 For thus says the Lord God of Israel: 'The bin of flour shall not
be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord
sends rain on the earth.' "
15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she
and he and her household ate for many days.
16 The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry,
according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.
17 Now it happened after these things that the son of the woman who
owned the house became sick. And his sickness was so serious that
there was no breath left in him.
18 So she said to Elijah, "What have I to do with you, O man of God?
Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my
son?"
19 And he said to her, "Give me your son." So he took him out of her
arms and carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid
him on his own bed.
20 Then he cried out to the Lord and said, "O Lord my God, have You
also brought tragedy on the widow with whom I lodge, by killing her
son?"
21 And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried
out to the Lord and said, "O Lord my God, I pray, let this child's
soul come back to him."
22 Then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child
came back to him, and he revived.
23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room
into the house, and gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, "See,
your son lives!"
24 Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now by this I know that you are a
man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth."
Scripture Reading 12 of 21
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40. http://oca.org/?SID=25
41. http://oca.org/?SID=25&ID=PDF
42. http://oca.org/FSIndex.asp?SID=4
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-----------------------------

Isaiah 61:10-62:5  (Vespers, 9th Reading)
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my
God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has
covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks
himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself wit
11 For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes the
things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord God will cause
righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
1 For Zions sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalems sake I
will not rest, Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, And
her salvation as a lamp that burns.
2 The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, And all kings your glory.
You shall be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the Lord will
name.
3 You shall also be a crown of glory In the hand of the Lord, And a
royal diadem In the hand of your God.
4 You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, Nor shall your land any more
be termed Desolate; But you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land
Beulah; For the Lord delights in you, And your land shall be married.
5 For as a young man marries a virgin, So shall your sons marry you;
And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So shall your God
rejoice over you.
Scripture Reading 13 of 21

-----------------------------

Genesis 22:1-18  (Vespers, 10th Reading)
1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and
said to him, Abraham! And he said, Here I am.
2 Then He said, Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love,
and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering
on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.
3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and
took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split
the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of
which God had told him.
4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar
off.
5 And Abraham said to his young men, Stay here with the donkey; the
lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.
6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac
his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of
them went together.
7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, My father! And he
said, Here I am, my son. Then he said, Look, the fire and the wood,
but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for
a burnt offering. So the two of them went together.
9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham
built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac
his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his
son.
11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said,
Abraham, Abraham! So he said, Here I am.
12 And He said, Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to
him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld
your son, your only son, from Me.
13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a
ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the
ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as
it is said to this day, In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.
15 Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of
heaven,
16 and said: By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have
done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son
17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your
descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the
seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their
enemies.
18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because
you have obeyed My voice.
Scripture Reading 14 of 21

-----------------------------

Isaiah 61:1-9  (Vespers, 11th Reading)
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed
Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the
brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of
the prison to those who are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of
vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,
3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of
heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The
planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
4 And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former
desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations
of many generations.
5 Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, And the sons of the
foreigner Shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
6 But you shall be named the priests of the Lord, They shall call you
the servants of our God. You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, And
in their glory you shall boast.
7 Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, And instead of
confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land
they shall possess double; Everlasting joy shall be theirs.
8 For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I
will direct their work in truth, And will make with them an
everlasting covenant.
9 Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles, And their
offspring among the people. All who see them shall acknowledge them,
That they are the posterity whom the Lord has blessed.
Scripture Reading 15 of 21

----------------------------------------------------
------ SAINTS/FEASTS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
----------------------------------------------------

Great and Holy Saturday
Great and Holy Saturday is the day on which Christ reposed in the
tomb. The Church calls this day the Blessed Sabbath.
"The great Moses mystically foreshadowed this day when he said: God
blessed the second day. This is the blessed Sabbath This is the day of
rest, on which the only-begotten Son of God rested from all His
works."
(Vesperal Liturgy of Holy Saturday)
By using this title the Church links Holy Saturday with the creative
act of God. In the initial account of creation as found in the Book of
Genesis, God made man in His own image and likeness. To be truly
himself, man was to live in constant communion with the source and
dynamic power of that image: God. Man fell from God. Now Christ, the
Son of God through whom all things were created, has come to restore
man to communion with God. He thereby completes creation. All things
are again as they should be. His mission is consummated. On the
Blessed Sabbath He rests from all His works.
THE TRANSITION
Holy Saturday is a neglected day in parish life. Few people attend the
Services. Popular piety usually reduces Holy Week to one day - Holy
Friday. This day is quickly replaced by another - Easter Sunday.
Christ is dead and then suddenly alive. Great sorrow is suddenly
replaced by great joy. In such a scheme Holy Saturday is lost.
In the understanding of the Church, sorrow is not replaced by joy; it
is transformed into joy. This distinction indicates that it is
precisely within death that Christ continues to effect triumph.
TRAMPLING DOWN DEATH BY DEATH
We sing that Christ is "...trampling down death by death" in the
troparion of Easter. This phrase gives great meaning to Holy Saturday.
Christ's repose in the tomb is an "active" repose. He comes in search
of His fallen friend, Adam, who represents all men. Not finding him on
earth, he descends to the realm of death, known as Hades in the Old
Testament. There He finds him and brings him life once again. This is
the victory: the dead are given life. The tomb is no longer a
forsaken, lifeless place. By His death Christ tramples down death by
death.
THE ICON OF THE DESCENT INTO HADES
The traditional icon used by the Church on the feast of Easter is an
icon of Holy Saturday: the descent of Christ into Hades. It is a
painting of theology, for no one has ever seen this event. It depicts
Christ, radiant in hues of white and blue, standing on the shattered
gates of Hades. With arms outstretched He is joining hands with Adam
and all the other Old Testament righteous whom He has found there. He
leads them from the kingdom of death. By His death He tramples death.
"Today Hades cries out groaning:
I should not have accepted the Man born of Mary.
He came and destroyed my power.
He shattered the gates of brass.
As God, He raised the souls I had held captive.
Glory to Thy cross and resurrection, O Lord!"
(Vesperal Liturgy of Holy Saturday)
THE VESPERAL LITURGY
The Vespers of Holy Saturday inaugurates the Paschal celebration, for
the liturgical cycle of the day always begins in the evening. In the
past, this service constituted the first part of the great Paschal
vigil during which the catechumens were baptized in the "baptisterion"
and led in procession back into the church for participation in their
first Divine Liturgy, the Paschal Eucharist. Later, with the number of
catechumens increasing, the first baptismal part of the Paschal
celebration was disconnected from the liturgy of the Paschal night and
formed our pre-paschal service: Vespers and the Liturgy of St Basil
the Great which follows it. It still keeps the marks of the early
celebration of Pascha as baptismal feast and that of Baptism as
Paschal sacrament (death and resurrection with Jesus Christ - Romans
6).
On "Lord I Call" the Saturday Resurrectional stichiras of Tone 1 are
sung, followed by the the special stichiras of Holy Saturday, which
stress the death of Christ as descent into Hades, the region of death,
for its destruction. But the pivotal point of the service occurs after
the Entrance, when fifteen lessons from the Old Testament are read,
all centered on the promise of the Resurrection, all glorifying the
ultimate Victory of God, prophesied in the victorious Song of Moses
after the crossing of the Red Sea ("Let us sing to the Lord, for
gloriously has He been glorified"), the salvation of Jonah, and that
of the three youths in the furnace.
Then the epistle is read, the same epistle that is still read at
Baptism (Romans 6:3-11), in which Christ's death and resurrection
become the source of the death in us of the "old man," the
resurrection of the new, whose life is in the Risen Lord. During the
special verses sung after the epistle, "Arise, O God, and judge the
earth," the dark lenten vestments are put aside and the clergy vest in
the bright white ones, so that when the celebrant appears with the
Gospel the light of Resurrection is truly made visible in us, the
"Rejoice" with which the Risen Christ greeted the women at the grave
is experienced as being directed at us.
The Liturgy of St Basil continues in this white and joyful light,
revealing the Tomb of Christ as the Life-giving Tomb, introducing us
into the ultimate reality of Christ's Resurrection, communicating His
life to us, the children of fallen Adam.
One can and must say that of all services of the Church that are
inspiring, meaningful, revealing, this one: the Vespers and Liturgy of
St Basil the Great and Holy Saturday is truly the liturgical climax of
the Church. If one opens one's heart and mind to it and accepts its
meaning and its light, the very truth of Orthodoxy is given by it, the
taste and the joy of that new life which shines forth from the grave.
Rev. Alexander Schmemann
_________________________________________________________________
Hieromartyr Basil the Bishop of Amasea
The Hieromartyr Basil, Bishop of Amasea, lived at the beginning of the
fourth century in the Pontine city of Amasea. He encouraged and
comforted the Christians suffering persecution by the pagans. During
this time the Eastern part of the Roman Empire was ruled by Licinius
(311-324), the brother-in-law of the holy emperor Constantine the
Great (May 21). Licinius deceitfully signed St Constantine's Edict of
Milan (313), which granted religious toleration to Christians, but he
hated them and continued to persecute them.
_________________________________________________________________
St Stephen the Bishop of Perm
Saint Stephen the Enlightener of Perm, and Apostle to the Zyrians, was
born around the year 1340 into the family of Simeon, a cleric of the
Ustiug cathedral. He was greatly influenced by his pious mother Maria.
Endowed with great abilities, he already displayed an unusual zeal for
the service of the Church: in a single year he learned to read the
Holy Books and he assisted his father in church during services,
fulfilling the duty of canonarch, and also that of reader.
The young saint received monastic tonsure at the Monastery of St
Gregory the Theologian at Rostov. The monastery was famed for its fine
library. Since St Stephen wanted to read the holy Fathers in their
original language, he studied Greek.
In his youth, when he had assisted his father in church, he frequently
spoke with the Zyrian people. Now, having been immersed in the rich
culture of the Church, St Stephen burned with a desire to convert the
Zyrians to Christ.
To facilitate the enlightenment of the Zyrians, he compiled an
alphabet of their language and translated some of the Church books.
For this pious work Bishop Arsenius of Rostov (1374-1380), ordained
him to the rank of hierodeacon.
Having prepared himself for missionary activity, St Stephen journeyed
to Moscow (1379) to see Bishop Gerasimus of Kolomna, who then oversaw
the affairs of the metropolitanate. The saint implored him, "Bless me,
Master, to go into a pagan land, Perm. I want to teach the holy Faith
to the unbelieving people. I am resolved either to lead them to
Christ, or to lay down my life for them and for Christ." The bishop
joyfully blessed him and ordained him as a hieromonk. He provided him
with an antimension for the altar table, holy chrism and service
books, and Great Prince Demetrius gave him a document of safe passage.
>From Ustiug St Stephen made his way along the North Dvina River up to
the confluence of the Vychegda into it, where settlements of the
Zyrians began. The proponent of faith in Christ suffered many toils
and struggles, deprivation and sorrow, living among the pagans who
worshipped idols "with fire, water, trees, a stone and golden
woman-figure, and shaman, and wizard, and wood."
Father Stephen was sad to see that the Zyrians continued to worship a
"sacred birch tree." Immense in its thickness and height, the birch
tree grew on an elevated spot. The Zyrians gathered there and brought
wild animals there for sacrifice.
St Stephen's cell was not far from the birch tree. He prayed and set
fire to the tree in order to end the superstition. The Zyrians, seeing
that the tree had been destroyed, meant to kill him. The saint said to
them, "Judge for yourselves whether or not your gods have any power,
since they are not able to defend themselves from the fire. Can they
be gods, when they are so powerless? They have no mind, neither can
they see or hear. Your idol could not defend itself against me, a weak
man. Are all your other gods so powerless? The Christian God is not
like this. He sees everything, knows everything and is Almighty, since
He created the whole world and foresees everything. How good He is,
particularly to those who know Him! I desire only what is good for
you, to bring you to the true God. He will love you and bless you,
when you sincerely begin to honor Him." On the site of the "sacred
birch tree," St Stephen built a church in honor of the Archangel
Michael, the vanquisher of the spirits of darkness.
The newly-baptized Zyrians themselves began to remove that which they
once worshiped. They cut down sacred trees, they destroyed idols, and
they brought to St Stephen the rich gifts set aside for the pagan
sacrifices. He told his Zyrian helper Matthew to throw everything into
the fire, except the linen cloth which was used for foot wrappings.
But things came to a head among the Zyrians after St Stephen got the
better of their chief priest Pama, who rose up against the spread of
Christianity. The pagan priest entered into a debate with St Stephen.
"Christian, you have only one God," said Pama, "but we have many
helpers on the land, and in the water, granting us good hunting in the
forests, and with its abundance providing food and pelts to Moscow,
the Horde and faraway lands. Our gods reveal to us the magic
mysteries, inaccessible to you."
St Stephen answered that the true God is one; the Almighty is one, but
experience has proven that the idols are powerless. After a lengthy
dispute the pagan priest Pama challenged St Stephen to pass through
fire and water in a test of faith. St Stephen humbly replied, "Great
is the Christian God. I accept your challenge."
Pama, however, lost his nerve and entreated the saint to save him from
certain death. "You are witnesses," said St Stephen to the people "how
he wished to resolve the dispute about faith by fire and water, but he
does not wish to be baptized. Who has regard for Pama now? What is to
be done with him?"
"Let the deceiver be put to death," the people said, "for if Pama is
set free, he will make mischief for you." "No," the saint replied,
"Christ has not sent me to hand anyone over to death, but to teach.
Since Pama does not wish to accept the saving Faith, let his
stubbornness punish him, but I will not." Pama was banished. In
thanksgiving for his victory over the chief pagans, St Stephen built a
church in honor of St Nicholas at Vishero. After this, the saint's
preaching of Christ was more successful.
In 1383, St Stephen was consecrated Bishop of Malaya Perm [Lesser
Perm]. Like a loving father he devoted himself to his flock. To
encourage the newly-converted, St Stephen opened schools adjacent to
the churches, where they studied the Holy Scriptures in the Permian
language. The saint supervised the instructions, and taught them what
they needed to know in order to become priests and deacons. St Stephen
taught several of his students how to write in the Permian language.
The saint built churches, in which he placed Zyrian priests, and
services were conducted in the Zyrian language.
St Stephen translated the HOROLOGION [Book of Hours], the PSALTER, and
other liturgical books into the Zyrian language.
During a crop failure the saint provided the Zyrians with bread. Many
times he protected them from the trickery of corrupt officials, gave
them alms, and defended them from the incursions of other tribes,
interceding for them at Moscow. The fruit of his efforts and good
deeds came in the conversion of all of Perm to Christianity. This
great deed was accomplished by his strength of faith and Christian
love. The life of the saint was a victory of faith over unbelief, of
love and meekness over malice and impiety.
There was a touching "meeting in absence" of St Stephen of Perm with
St Sergius of Radonezh, occurring in the year 1390 as St Stephen
journeyed to Moscow on church business. St Stephen fervently loved the
Radonezh ascetic and very much wanted to pay him a visit, but had no
time to do so. Ten versts from the monastery of St Sergius, St Stephen
turned in the direction of the monastery and with a bow he said,
"Peace to you, my spiritual brother!"
St Sergius, who was eating a meal with the brethren, stood up, made a
prayer and, bowing towards the direction where the saint rode,
answered, "Hail also to you, pastor of the flock of Christ, may the
peace of God be with you!"
The deep spiritual connection of St Stephen of Perm and St Sergius of
Radonezh is recalled even today in a certain prayer recited each day
in the trapeza.
Besides building churches, St Stephen also founded several monasteries
for the Zyrians: the Savior Ulianov wilderness monastery 165 versts
from Ust-Sysolsk, the Stephanov 60 versts from Ust-Sysolsk, the
Ust-Vym Archangel, and the Yareng Archangel.
In the year 1395 St Stephen again went to Moscow on affairs of his
flock, and died there. His body was placed in the Church of the
Transfiguration in the Moscow Kremlin. The Zyrians bitterly lamented
the death of their archpastor. They earnestly entreated the Moscow
prince and the Metropolitan to send the body of their patron back to
Perm, but Moscow did not wish to part with the relics of the saint.
The glorification of St Stephen began already at the beginning of the
fiftenth century. The Life of the saint was written soon after his
death. The hieromonk Pachomius the Serb composed the service to him,
with the hieromonk Epiphanius the Wise, who was a disciple of St
Sergius of Radonezh. He also knew St Stephen and loved to converse
with him.
_________________________________________________________________
Righteous Virginmartyr Glaphyra
The Virgin Glaphyra. Licinius burned with passion for Glaphyra, a
maidservant of his wife Constantia.The holy virgin reported this to
the empress and sought her help. Dressing her in men's attire and
providing her with money, the empress Constantia sent her to Pontus in
the company of a devoted servant. They told the emperor that Glaphyra
had gone mad and lay near death. On her way to Armenia, St Glaphyra
stopped in Amasea, where the local bishop, St Basil, gave her shelter.
At this time the saint was building a church in the city. St Glaphyra
donated all the money that she had received from Constantia for its
construction, and in a letter to the empress she asked her to send
additional funds to complete the church. The empress fulfilled her
request. However, St Glaphyra's letter fell into the hands of the
emperor. The enraged Licinius ordered the governor of Amasea to send
him the hierarch and the maidservant. St Glaphyra died before the
edict arrived in Amasea, and St Basil was sent to the emperor. Two
deacons, Parthenius and Theotimos, followed after him and lodged near
the prison where the saint was held.
The pious Christian Elpidephoros bribed the jailer and each night he
visited the saint with Parthenius and Theotimos. On the eve of the
saint's trial, he sang Psalms and chanted, "if I should sojourn at the
extremity of the sea... even there Thy hand would guide me, and Thy
right hand would hold me" (Ps 138/139:9-10). These were prophetic
words.
Three times he broke down in tears. The deacons were afraid that the
saint would not be able to endure the coming torments, but he calmed
them.
At the trial St Basil resolutely refused the emperor's offer to become
a pagan priest, and so he was sentenced to death. Elpidephoros gave
the soldiers money, and they allowed the saint to pray and to speak
with his friends before execution. Then the saint said to the
executioner, "Friend, do as you have been ordered." Calmly, he bent
his neck beneath the sword.
When the martyr had been beheaded, Elpidephoros tried to ransom his
relics from the soldiers. But the soldiers were afraid of the emperor
and they threw the saint's body and head into the sea. After this, an
angel of God appeared to Elpidephoros three times in a dream, saying,
"Bishop Basil is in Sinope and awaits you."
Heeding this call, Elpidephoros and the deacons sailed to Sinope, and
there they hired fishermen to lower their nets. When they lowered the
net on the suggestion of the deacons Theotimos and Parthenius, they
came up with nothing. Then Elpidephoros declared that he would ask
them to lower the net in the name of the God Whom he worshiped. This
time, the net brought up the body of St Basil. The saint's head was
attached to his body once more, and only the gash on his neck
indicated the blow of the sword. The relics of St Basil were taken to
Amasea and buried in the church he built.
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St Joannicius of Devich in Serbia
No information available at this time.
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Icon of the Mother of God of Mozdok and Dubno-Krasnogorsk
No information available at this time.
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