[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Thu Mar 13 05:00:17 CDT 2008

Scripture Readings and Saints for Thu Mar 13 2008

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Isaiah 2:11-21  (6th Hour)
11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, The haughtiness of men
shall be bowed down, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
12 For the day of the Lord of hosts Shall come upon everything proud
and lofty, Upon everything lifted up And it shall be brought low
13 Upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, And
upon all the oaks of Bashan;
14 Upon all the high mountains, And upon all the hills that are lifted
up;
15 Upon every high tower, And upon every fortified wall;
16 Upon all the ships of Tarshish, And upon all the beautiful sloops.
17 The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, And the haughtiness of
men shall be brought low; The Lord alone will be exalted in that day,
18 But the idols He shall utterly abolish.
19 They shall go into the holes of the rocks, And into the caves of
the earth, From the terror of the Lord And the glory of His majesty,
When He arises to shake the earth mightily.
20 In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver And his idols
of gold, Which they made, each for himself to worship, To the moles
and bats,
21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, And into the crags of the
rugged rocks, From the terror of the Lord And the glory of His
majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily.
Scripture Reading 1 of 3

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Genesis 2:4-19  (Vespers, 1st Reading)
4 This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were
created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,
5 before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb
of the field had grown. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain on
the earth, and there was no man to till the ground;
6 but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the
ground.
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed
into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
8 The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the
man whom He had formed.
9 And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is
pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in
the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil.
10 Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it
parted and became four riverheads.
11 The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the
whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.
12 And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are
there.
13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes
around the whole land of Cush.
14 The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it is the one which goes
toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.
15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to
tend and keep it.
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the
garden you may freely eat;
17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not
eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.
18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone; I
will make him a helper comparable to him.
19 Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and
every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would
call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its
name.
Scripture Reading 2 of 3

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Proverbs 3:1-18  (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
1 My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;
2 For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
4 And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own
understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of
all your increase;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will
overflow with new wine.
11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His
correction;
12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in
whom he delights.
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains
understanding;
14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her
gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire
cannot compare with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and
honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are
all who retain her.
Scripture Reading 3 of 3

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Translation of the relics of St Nicephorus the Patriarch of
Constantinople
Saint Nicephorus was a dignitary at the court of the empress Irene
(797-802), and then after receiving monastic tonsure, he became known
for his piety. In the year 806 he was elevated to the patriarchal
throne. The saint was a zealous defender of the holy Icons. When the
Iconoclast emperor Leo the Armenian (813-820) came to rule, the saint
in 815 was exiled to Prokonnis, where he died in the year 828.
In the year 846 the holy relics of Patriarch Nicephorus were opened,
and were found incorrupt and fragrant. They transferred them from
Prokonnis to Constantinople and placed them for one day in Hagia
Sophia, and then transferred them to the Church of the Holy Apostles.
The saint's hands are preserved in the Hilandar monastery on Mount
Athos.
The saint left behind three writings against Iconoclasm. The main
Feast of St Nicephorus is celebrated on June 2, but today we
commemorate the finding and transfer of his holy relics.
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Martyr Sabinus (Abibus) of Egypt
The Holy Martyr Sabinus suffered in Egypt in the year 287.
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Martyr Africanus of Carthage
The Holy Martyrs Africanus, Publius and Terence suffered in the third
century at Petrium. Their memory is celebrated also on April 10.
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Martyr Publius of Carthage
The Holy Martyrs Africanus, Publius and Terence suffered in the third
century at Petrium. Their memory is celebrated also on April 10.
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Martyr Terence of Carthage
The Holy Martyrs Africanus, Publius and Terence suffered in the third
century at Petrium. Their memory is celebrated also on April 10.
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Martyr Alexander of Macedonia
The Holy Martyr Alexander was a presbyter in the city of Pidna, not
far from Thessalonica. The saint converted many pagans to Christianity
by his preaching. During the persecution against Christians under the
emperor Maximian Galerius (305-311), St Alexander was subjected to
fierce tortures, and then beheaded.
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Martyr Christina of Persia
The Holy Martyr Christina of Persia was scourged to death for
confessing her faith in Christ, during the fourth century.
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Venerable Aninas of the Euphrates
Saint Aninas the Presbyter See March 18.
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