[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

[Daily Orthodox Readings and Saints]

Scripture Readings and Saints for Fri Mar 28 2008

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Isaiah 13:2-13  (6th Hour)
2 Lift up a banner on the high mountain, Raise your voice to them;
Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.
3 I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have also called My mighty
ones for My anger Those who rejoice in My exaltation.
4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, Like that of many people!
A tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together! The
Lord of hosts musters The army for battle.
5 They come from a far country, From the end of heaven The Lord and
His weapons of indignation, To destroy the whole land.
6 Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand! It will come as
destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore all hands will be limp, Every mans heart will melt,
8 And they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them;
They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; They will be amazed at
one another; Their faces will be like flames.
9 Behold, the day of the Lord comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce
anger, To lay the land desolate; And He will destroy its sinners from
it.
10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not give
their light; The sun will be darkened in its going forth, And the moon
will not cause its light to shine.
11 I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their
iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the
haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold, A man more than the
golden wedge of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, And the earth will move out of
her place, In the wrath of the Lord of hosts And in the day of His
fierce anger.
Scripture Reading 1 of 3


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Genesis 8:4-21  (Vespers, 1st Reading)
4 Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the
month, on the mountains of Ararat.
5 And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the
tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains
were seen.
6 So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the
window of the ark which he had made.
7 Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the
waters had dried up from the earth.
8 He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had
receded from the face of the ground.
9 But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and
she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of
the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her
into the ark to himself.
10 And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove
out from the ark.
11 Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly
plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had
receded from the earth.
12 So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which
did not return again to him anymore.
13 And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first
month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from
the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and
indeed the surface of the ground was dry.
14 And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month,
the earth was dried.
15 Then God spoke to Noah, saying,
16 Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons
wives with you.
17 Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with
you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the
earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and
multiply on the earth.
18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons wives with
him.
19 Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps
on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark.
20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean
animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the
altar.
21 And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His
heart, I will never again curse the ground for mans sake, although the
imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again
destroy every living thing as I have done.
Scripture Reading 2 of 3


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Proverbs 10:31-11:12  (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, But the perverse
tongue will be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, But the mouth of
the wicked what is perverse.
1 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight
is His delight.
2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of
the unfaithful will destroy them.
4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers
from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, But
the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the
unfaithful will be caught by their lust.
7 When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, And the hope of
the unjust perishes.
8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, And it comes to the wicked
instead.
9 The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, But through
knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; And when
the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is
overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
Scripture Reading 3 of 3



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------ SAINTS/FEASTS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Venerable Hilarion the New the Abbot of Pelecete
Saint Hilarion the New, Igumen of Peleke Monastery, from his youth, he
devoted himself to the service of God and spent many years as a
hermit. Because of his holy and blameless life he was ordained to the
holy priesthood, and later he was made igumen of the Pelekete
monastery (near the Dardanelles). St Hilarion was granted gifts of
clairvoyance and wonderworking by the Lord.
Through prayer he brought down rain during a drought, and like the
Prophet Elisha he separated the waters of a river, he drove harmful
beasts from the fields, he filled the nets of fishermen when they had
no success in fishing, and he did many other miracles. In addition to
these things, he was able to heal the sick and cast out demons.
St Hilarion suffered on Great and Holy Thursday in the year 754, when
the military commnander Lakhanodrakon suddenly descended upon the
Pelekete monastery in pursuit of icon-venerators, boldly forcing his
way into the church, disrupting the service and throwing the Holy
Gifts upon the ground. Forty-two monks were arrested, slapped into
chains, sent to the Edessa district and murdered. The remaining monks
were horribly mutilated, they beat them, they burned their beards with
fire, they smeared their faces with tar and cut off the noses of some
of the confessors. St Hilarion died for the veneration of icons during
this persecution.
St Hilarion left behind spiritual works containing moral directives
for spiritual effort. St Joseph of Volokolamsk (September 9 and
October 18) was well acquainted with the work of St Hilarion, and he
also wrote about the significance of monastic struggles in his own
theological works.
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Venerable Stephen the Wonderworker the Abbot of Tryglia
St Stephen the Confessor, Igumen of Triglia Monastery, suffered under
the iconoclast emperor Leo the Armenian (813-820). From a young age,
the holy ascetic dedicated his life to God and received monastic
tonsure. He later became head of the Triglia monastery near
Constantinople.
When persecution again began against holy icons, the saintly igumen
was summoned for questioning, and they tried to force him to sign a
document rejecting the veneration of icons. St Stephen steadfastly
refused to betray Orthodoxy and he boldly denounced the emperor for
his impiety. They subjected the saint to cruel torments, after which
they sent him to prison in the year 815. Weakened and sick, the holy
Confessor Stephen soon died in prison from his sufferings.
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Monkmartyr Eustratius of the Kiev Near Caves
Martyr Eustratius of the Caves was born in the eleventh century at
Kiev into a wealthy family. As an adult, he received monastic tonsure
at the Kiev Caves monastery, after giving away all his possesions to
the poor. St Eustratius humbly underwent obediences at the monastery,
strictly fulfilling the rule of prayer and passing his days in fasting
and vigilance.
In 1096 the Polovetsians captured Kiev and ravaged the monastery of
the Caves, doing away with many of the monks. St Eustratius was taken
into captivity, and was sold into slavery with thirty monastic
laborers and twenty inhabitants of Kiev to a certain Jew living in
Korsun.
The impious Jew tried to make the captives to deny Christ, threatening
to kill those who refused by starving them. St Eustratius encouraged
and exhorted his brother Christians, "Brothers! Let none of us who are
baptized and believe in Christ betray the vows made at Baptism. Christ
has regenerated us through water and the Spirit. He has freed us from
the curse of the Law by His Blood, and He has made us heirs of His
Kingdom. If we live, we shall live for the Lord. If we die, we shall
die in the Lord and inherit eternal life."
Inspired by the saint's words, the captives resolved to die of
starvation, rather than renounce Christ, Who is the food and drink of
Eternal Life. Exhausted by hunger and thirst, some captives perished
after three days, some after four days, and some after seven days. St
Eustratius remained alive for fourteen days, since he was accustomed
to fasting from his youth. Suffering from hunger, he still did not
touch food nor water. The impious Jew, seeing that he had lost the
money he had paid for the captives, decided to take revenge on the
holy monk.
The radiant Feast of the Resurrection of Christ drew near, and the
Jewish slave owner was celebrating the Jewish Passover with his
companions. He decided to crucify St Eustratius. The cruel tormentors
mocked the saint, offering to let him share their Passover meal. The
Martyr replied, "The Lord has now bestown a great grace upon me. He
has permitted me to suffer on a cross for His Name just as He
suffered." The saint also predicted a horrible death for the Jew.
Hearing this, the enraged Jew grabbed a spear and stabbed St
Eustratius on the cross. The martyr's body was taken down from the
cross and thrown into the sea. Christian believers long searched for
the holy relics of the martyr, but were not able to find them. But
through the Providence of God the incorrupt relics were found in a
cave and worked many miracles. Later, they were transferred to the
Near Caves of the Kiev Caves monastery.
The prediction of the holy Martyr Eustratius that his blood would be
avenged was fulfilled soon after his death. The Byzantine Emperor
issued a decree expelling all Jews from Korsun, depriving them of
their property, and putting their elders to death for torturing
Christians. The Jew who crucified St Eustratius was hanged on a tree,
receiving just punishment for his wickedness.
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Venerable Hilarion of Pskov, Lake Gdov
St Hilarion of Gdov and Pskov Lake, was a disciple of St Euphrosynus
of Pskov (May 15). In 1460 on the banks of the River Zhelcha, not far
from Gdov, he founded the Ozersk [Lake] Monastery of the Protection of
the Mother of God. The monastery bordered the territory of the
Livonian Knights, and the monks constantly suffered the incursions of
that military order. Despite harsh conditions and insufficient means,
St Hilarion maintained a high level of pious and ascetic life at the
monastery, and made great efforts to adorn and build up the monastery.
St Hilarion reposed on March 28, 1476 and was buried in the church of
the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos in the monastery he founded.
Afterwards, a church was built at the monastery in honor of the
Nativity of Christ. The left chapel was dedicated to the founder of
the Gdov monastery. St Hilarion of Gdov is also commemorated on
October 21, on the Feast of his heavenly patron and namesake.
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Martyr Jonah and those with him, in Persia
Saint Jonah was one of those martyred with Sts Jonah and Barachisius.
The brothers Jonah and Barachisius were Christians who lived in the
village of Yasa in Persia during the time of the emperor Sapor
(310-331), a fierce persecutor of Christians.
Learning that Christians were being tortured in the city of Baravokh,
they went there to the prison where Sts Zanithas, Lazarus, Maruthas,
Narses, Elias, Marinus, Habib, Sivsithina and Sava were being held.
They encouraged them to adhere to the Christian Faith until the very
end. The holy martyrs firmly confessed their faith in Christ and would
not agree to the demands of the pagans. Therefore, they were subjected
to fierce torments and death.
The bodies of the holy martyrs Jonah, Barachisius and the other
martyrs were buried by a pious Christian named Habdisotes.
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Martyr Barachisius and those with him, in Persia
Saint Barachisius was the brother of St Jonah. They were Christians
who lived in the village of Yasa in Persia during the time of the
emperor Sapor (310-331), a fierce persecutor of Christians.
Learning that Christians were being tortured in the city of Baravokh,
they went there to the prison where Sts Zanithas, Lazarus, Maruthas,
Narses, Elias, Marinus, Habib, Sivsithina and Sava were being held.
They encouraged them to adhere to the Christian Faith until the very
end. The holy brothers were arrested and brought to trial before the
Persian princes Masdrath, Siroth and Marmis, who urged them to worship
the sun, fire, and water. The holy martyrs firmly confessed their
faith in Christ and would not agree to the demands of the pagans.
Therefore, they were subjected to fierce torments and death.
St Jonah suffered first. They tied the holy martyr to a tree and beat
him for a long time, then they dragged him across the ice of a frozen
lake. They also cut off his fingers and toes, and cut out his tongue.
Then they peeled the skin from his head, and finally sawed his body in
half and threw it in a ditch.
They placed red-hot shackles on the wrists of St Barachisius, poured
molten tin in his nose, ears and mouth, and they raked him with sharp
instruments, after they tied him to a turning wheel. The holy martyr
surrendered his soul to God after they poured boiling tar in his
mouth.
The bodies of the holy martyrs Jonah, Barachisius and the other
martyrs were buried by a pious Christian named Habdisotes.
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Martyr Zanitas and those with him, in Persia
Saint Zanitas was one of those martyred with Sts Jonah and
Barachisius.
The brothers Jonah and Barachisius were Christians who lived in the
village of Yasa in Persia during the time of the emperor Sapor
(310-331), a fierce persecutor of Christians.
Learning that Christians were being tortured in the city of Baravokh,
they went there to the prison where Sts Zanithas, Lazarus, Maruthas,
Narses, Elias, Marinus, Habib, Sivsithina and Sava were being held.
They encouraged them to adhere to the Christian Faith until the very
end. The holy martyrs firmly confessed their faith in Christ and would
not agree to the demands of the pagans. Therefore, they were subjected
to fierce torments and death.
The bodies of the holy martyrs Jonah, Barachisius and the other
martyrs were buried by a pious Christian named Habdisotes.
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Martyr Lazarus and those with him in Persia
Saint Lazarus was one of those martyred with Sts Jonah and
Barachisius.
The brothers Jonah and Barachisius were Christians who lived in the
village of Yasa in Persia during the time of the emperor Sapor
(310-331), a fierce persecutor of Christians.
Learning that Christians were being tortured in the city of Baravokh,
they went there to the prison where Sts Zanithas, Lazarus, Maruthas,
Narses, Elias, Marinus, Habib, Sivsithina and Sava were being held.
They encouraged them to adhere to the Christian Faith until the very
end. The holy martyrs firmly confessed their faith in Christ and would
not agree to the demands of the pagans. Therefore, they were subjected
to fierce torments and death.
The bodies of the holy martyrs Jonah, Barachisius and the other
martyrs were buried by a pious Christian named Habdisotes.
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Martyr Maruthas (Marotas) and those with him in Persia
Saint Maruthas (Marotas) was one of those martyred with Sts Jonah and
Barachisius.
The brothers Jonah and Barachisius were Christians who lived in the
village of Yasa in Persia during the time of the emperor Sapor
(310-331), a fierce persecutor of Christians.
Learning that Christians were being tortured in the city of Baravokh,
they went there to the prison where Sts Zanithas, Lazarus, Maruthas,
Narses, Elias, Marinus, Habib, Sivsithina and Sava were being held.
They encouraged them to adhere to the Christian Faith until the very
end. The holy martyrs firmly confessed their faith in Christ and would
not agree to the demands of the pagans. Therefore, they were subjected
to fierce torments and death.
The bodies of the holy martyrs Jonah, Barachisius and the other
martyrs were buried by a pious Christian named Habdisotes.
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Martyr Narses and those with him in Persia
Saint Narses was one of those martyred with Sts Jonah and Barachisius.
The brothers Jonah and Barachisius were Christians who lived in the
village of Yasa in Persia during the time of the emperor Sapor
(310-331), a fierce persecutor of Christians.
Learning that Christians were being tortured in the city of Baravokh,
they went there to the prison where Sts Zanithas, Lazarus, Maruthas,
Narses, Elias, Marinus, Habib, Sivsithina and Sava were being held.
They encouraged them to adhere to the Christian Faith until the very
end. The holy martyrs firmly confessed their faith in Christ and would
not agree to the demands of the pagans. Therefore, they were subjected
to fierce torments and death.
The bodies of the holy martyrs Jonah, Barachisius and the other
martyrs were buried by a pious Christian named Habdisotes.
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Martyr Elias and those with him, in Persia
Saint Elias was one of those martyred with Sts Jonah and Barachisius.
The brothers Jonah and Barachisius were Christians who lived in the
village of Yasa in Persia during the time of the emperor Sapor
(310-331), a fierce persecutor of Christians.
Learning that Christians were being tortured in the city of Baravokh,
they went there to the prison where Sts Zanithas, Lazarus, Maruthas,
Narses, Elias, Marinus, Habib, Sivsithina and Sava were being held.
They encouraged them to adhere to the Christian Faith until the very
end. The holy martyrs firmly confessed their faith in Christ and would
not agree to the demands of the pagans. Therefore, they were subjected
to fierce torments and death.
The bodies of the holy martyrs Jonah, Barachisius and the other
martyrs were buried by a pious Christian named Habdisotes.
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Martyr Marinus (Mares) and those with him, in Persia
Saint Marinus (Mares) was one of those martyred with Sts Jonah and
Barachisius.
The brothers Jonah and Barachisius were Christians who lived in the
village of Yasa in Persia during the time of the emperor Sapor
(310-331), a fierce persecutor of Christians.
Learning that Christians were being tortured in the city of Baravokh,
they went there to the prison where Sts Zanithas, Lazarus, Maruthas,
Narses, Elias, Marinus, Habib, Sivsithina and Sava were being held.
They encouraged them to adhere to the Christian Faith until the very
end. The holy martyrs firmly confessed their faith in Christ and would
not agree to the demands of the pagans. Therefore, they were subjected
to fierce torments and death.
The bodies of the holy martyrs Jonah, Barachisius and the other
martyrs were buried by a pious Christian named Habdisotes.
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Martyr Abibus (Habib) and those with him, in Persia
Saint Abibus (Habib) was one of those martyred with Sts Jonah and
Barachisius.
The brothers Jonah and Barachisius were Christians who lived in the
village of Yasa in Persia during the time of the emperor Sapor
(310-331), a fierce persecutor of Christians.
Learning that Christians were being tortured in the city of Baravokh,
they went there to the prison where Sts Zanithas, Lazarus, Maruthas,
Narses, Elias, Marinus, Habib, Sivsithina and Sava were being held.
They encouraged them to adhere to the Christian Faith until the very
end. The holy martyrs firmly confessed their faith in Christ and would
not agree to the demands of the pagans. Therefore, they were subjected
to fierce torments and death.
The bodies of the holy martyrs Jonah, Barachisius and the other
martyrs were buried by a pious Christian named Habdisotes.
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Martyr Sembeeth (Sivsithina) and those with him, in Persia
Saint Sambeeth (Sivsithina) was one of those martyred with Sts Jonah
and Barachisius.
The brothers Jonah and Barachisius were Christians who lived in the
village of Yasa in Persia during the time of the emperor Sapor
(310-331), a fierce persecutor of Christians.
Learning that Christians were being tortured in the city of Baravokh,
they went there to the prison where Sts Zanithas, Lazarus, Maruthas,
Narses, Elias, Marinus, Habib, Sivsithina and Sava were being held.
They encouraged them to adhere to the Christian Faith until the very
end. The holy martyrs firmly confessed their faith in Christ and would
not agree to the demands of the pagans. Therefore, they were subjected
to fierce torments and death.
The bodies of the holy martyrs Jonah, Barachisius and the other
martyrs were buried by a pious Christian named Habdisotes.
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Martyr Sava in Persia
Saint Sava was one of those martyred with Sts Jonah and Barachisius.
The brothers Jonah and Barachisius were Christians who lived in the
village of Yasa in Persia during the time of the emperor Sapor
(310-331), a fierce persecutor of Christians.
Learning that Christians were being tortured in the city of Baravokh,
they went there to the prison where Sts Zanithas, Lazarus, Maruthas,
Narses, Elias, Marinus, Habib, Sivsithina and Sava were being held.
They encouraged them to adhere to the Christian Faith until the very
end. The holy martyrs firmly confessed their faith in Christ and would
not agree to the demands of the pagans. Therefore, they were subjected
to fierce torments and death.
The bodies of the holy martyrs Jonah, Barachisius and the other
martyrs were buried by a pious Christian named Habdisotes.
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Martyr Enravota - Boyan, the Prince of Bulgaria
The Holy Martyr Boyan, Prince of Bulgaria, suffered for Christ around
the year 830. When his pagan brother Malomir [Vladimir] ascended the
Bulgarian throne, Prince Boyan asked him to free the learned Christian
Kinamon, who had been in prison for a long time for refusing to
participate in pagan sacrifices under Prince Obrit (Krutogon), Prince
Malomir's predecessor.
Malomir consented and gave Kinamon to Prince Boyan as a slave. Boyan
spoke to Kinamon about Christianity, telling him of the errors of
paganism and that belief in Christ is necessary for salvation. At the
end of their conversation he told the prince, "Without Jesus Christ
there is no light for the mind, no life for the soul. He alone is the
Teacher of mankind and our Savior. By His death, He has reconciled
fallen mankind with God. If you do not wish to perish, believe in the
Lord Jesus." Prince Boyan recognized the truth of his words, and was
inspired to ask for Baptism.
The newly-converted prince was filled with a love of prayer, fasting
and contemplation of God. Malomir, learning about the conversion of
his brother to Christianity, demanded that he renounce the Christian
Faith and return to paganism. Instead, the holy Prince Boyan answered,
"I despise the pagan idols and I revere Christ, the true God. No one
shall separate me from the love of Christ." Malomir, hearing his
brother's reply, sentenced him to death.
Before his martyric death, the holy martyr-prince declared: "The faith
for which I now die will spread throughout the Bulgarian land. You
vainly imagine that you will stop it by killing me. Temples to the
true God will be built, and priests will offer Him true worship. The
idols and their foul sacrifices, however, will vanish." Then he said
to his brother Malomir, "You will gain nothing from your cruelty, and
death will soon overtake you."
The holy martyr was killed by the sword, and his predictions to his
brother were the first to be fulfilled. Malomir soon died, and since
he had no heir, his elder brother Presian (836-852) succeeded to the
throne. Prince Presian's son, the holy Prince Boris, in holy Baptism
Michael (May 2) later Christianized the Bulgarian nation. Thus the
prophecy of the holy Martyr Prince Boyan was fulfilled.
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Icon of the Mother of God of "the Sign"
The account of the Icon of the Sign is to be found on November 27.
Today's commemoration may be for a wonder-working copy of the original
icon.
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Venerable John, Bishop of Manglisi
Saint John (Saakadze) of Manglisi was born in 1668 and spiritually
nurtured in the Davit-Gareji Wilderness. Outstanding in virtue, John
was quickly ordained a hieromonk, and soon after consecrated bishop of
Manglisi. In 1724 St. John left Davit-Gareji for Derbend, Dagestan,
where he constructed a wooden church and began to preach Christianity
among the local people. He labored there with eleven other pious
believers. St. Johns humble life and the miracles he performed
attracted the attention of the Muslim Dagestanis, and even the
government took notice of his tireless evangelical activity.
At that time the Georgian King Vakhtang VI (17031724) and Tsar Peter
the Great of Russia were corresponding regularly about the
evangelization of the Caspian seacoast. Both kings recognized the
importance of St. Johns activity in regard to this matter, and they
generously contributed to his efforts. With their help, St. John built
one church in honor of the Nativity of the Theotokos and another in
honor of Great-martyr Catherine.
In 1737 John left his disciples in Dagestan and journeyed to
Astrakhan, near the place where the Volga flows into the Caspian Sea.
There he constructed a church in honor of St. John the Evangelist,
which was converted into a monastery in 1746. Archimandrite Herman,
one of St. Johns disciples, was elevated as abbot of this monastery.
While in Astrakhan, St. John discovered that many ethnic Georgians
were passing through the city of Kizliar in Ossetia, but they did not
have a church in which to celebrate the divine services. So he
traveled to Kizliar and, with help from his kinsmen, built a church
and opened a preparatory school for clergy nearby.
On March 28, 1751, St. John reposed in Kizliar at the age of eighty.
He was buried in the church that he himself had constructed.
Later, by order of King Teimuraz II (17441761), the myrrh-streaming
relics of St. John were translated to Tbilisi and buried in Sioni
Cathedral, in front of the Manglisi Icon of the Mother of God.
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