[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Tue May 20 05:01:07 CDT 2008

Scripture Readings and Saints for Tue May 20 2008

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Acts 10:21-33  (Epistle)
33 And your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and
bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed
in the wilderness.
34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the
land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year,
namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection.
35 I the LORD have spoken this. I will surely do so to all this evil
congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness
they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
36 Now the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and
made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad
report of the land,
37 those very men who brought the evil report about the land, died by
the plague before the LORD.
38 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained
alive, of the men who went to spy out the land.
39 Then Moses told these words to all the children of Israel, and the
people mourned greatly.
40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the
mountain, saying, Here we are, and we will go up to the place which
the LORD has promised, for we have sinned!
41 And Moses said, Now why do you transgress the command of the LORD?
For this will not succeed.
42 Do not go up, lest you be defeated by your enemies, for the LORD is
not among you.
43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you
shall fall by the sword; because you have turned away from the LORD,
the LORD will not be with you.
44 But they presumed to go up to the mountaintop. Nevertheless,
neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses departed from
the camp.
45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain
came down and attacked them, and drove them back as far as Hormah.
Scripture Reading 1 of 2

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John 7:1-13  (Gospel)
16 If any man has an emission of semen, then he shall wash all his
body in water, and be unclean until evening.
17 And any garment and any leather on which there is semen, it shall
be washed with water, and be unclean until evening.
18 Also, when a woman lies with a man, and there is an emission of
semen, they shall bathe in water, and be unclean until evening.
19 If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is
blood, she shall be set apart seven days; and whoever touches her
shall be unclean until evening
20 Everything that she lies on during her impurity shall be unclean;
also everything that she sits on shall be unclean.
21 Whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water,
and be unclean until evening.
22 And whoever touches anything that she sat on shall wash his clothes
and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening.
23 If anything is on her bed or on anything on which she sits, when he
touches it, he shall be unclean until evening.
24 And if any man lies with her at all, so that her impurity is on
him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed on which he lies
shall be unclean.
25 If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, other than at
the time of her customary impurity, or if it runs beyond her usual
time of impurity, all the days of her unclean discharge shall be as
the days of her customary impurity. She shall be unclean.
26 Every bed on which she lies all the days of her discharge shall be
to her as the bed of her impurity; and whatever she sits on shall be
unclean, as the uncleanness of her impurity.
27 Whoever touches those things shall be unclean; he shall wash his
clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening.
28 But if she is cleansed of her discharge, then she shall count for
herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.
Scripture Reading 2 of 2

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Martyr Thallelaeus at Aegae in Cilicia
The Martyrs Thallelaeus, Alexander and Asterius lived during the reign
of Numerian (283-284). The prefect of the city of Aegea sent soldiers
to seek out Christians. They brought to him Thallelaeus, an
eighteen-year-old blond-haired youth. To the prefect's questions St
Thallelaeus replied, "I am a Christian, a native of Lebanon. My
father, Beruchius, was a military commander, and my mother was named
Romylia. My brother is a subdeacon. I, however, am studying medicine
under the physician Macarius. During a former persecution against
Christians in Lebanon, I was brought before the prefect Tiberius, and
barely escaped execution. But now that I stand before this court, do
with me as you will. I wish to die for Christ my Savior and my God,
and hope to endure all torments with His help."
The enraged prefect ordered the two torturers Alexander and Asterius
to bore through the knees of the martyr, pass a rope through the bone,
and suspend him head downwards. But the executioners, by God's design,
bored into a block of wood, which they hung up in place of the martyr.
When the prefect saw that they had deceived him, he then ordered that
Alexander and Asterius be whipped. They also confessed themselves
Christians and glorified God. The prefect immediately gave orders to
cut off their heads. Twice he attempted to carry out the execution,
and to bore through the saint's knees, but the grace of God prevented
him. Then he commanded that St Thallelaeus be drowned.
The returning servants reported to the prefect that they had carried
out the execution, but just as they finished their report, St
Thallelaeus appeared in white raiment. For a long time everyone was
numbed with terror, but finally the prefect said, "Behold, this
sorcerer has bewitched even the sea."
Then one of his advisers, the magician Urbician, told the prefect to
have the martyr thrown to the wild beasts. But neither the vicious
bear, not the hungry lion and lioness, would touch the saint, all
meekly lay down at his feet. Seeing this happen, the people began to
shout, "Great is the God of the Christians. O God of Thallelaeus, have
mercy on us!"
The crowd seized Urbician and threw him to the beasts, which did not
hesitate to tear the magician apart. Finally, the prefect gave orders
to kill the holy martyr with a sword. They led Christ's martyr to the
place of execution, called Aegea, where he prayed to God and bent his
neck beneath the sword. This occurred in the year 284.
The relics of the holy martyr Thallelaeus are in the church of St
Agathonicus of Constantinople and have performed many miracles. St
Thallelaeus treated the sick without payment. For this reason, the
Church calls him an Unmercenary Physician. He is invoked in prayers
for the sick in the Mystery of Holy Unction, and during the Blessing
of Waters.
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Martyr Alexander at Aegae in Cilicia
The Martyrs Alexander, Thallelaeus, and Asterius lived during the
reign of Numerian (283-284). The prefect of the city of Aegea sent
soldiers to seek out Christians. Thallelaeus, an eighteen-year-old
blond-haired youth, was brought before him. The young man expressed
his willingness to suffer and die for Christ.
The enraged prefect ordered the two torturers Alexander and Asterius
to bore through the martyr's knees, pass a rope through the bone, and
suspend him head downwards. But the executioners, by God's design,
bored into a block of wood, which they hung up in place of the martyr.
When the prefect saw that they had deceived him, he then ordered that
Alexander and Asterius be whipped. They also confessed themselves
Christians and glorified God.
The prefect ordered them to be beheaded, and so they received the
unfading crown of martyrdom around 284.
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Martyr Asterius at Aegae in Cilicia
The Martyrs Asterius, Alexander, and Thallelaeus lived during the
reign of Numerian (283-284). The prefect of the city of Aegea sent
soldiers to seek out Christians. Thallelaeus, an eighteen-year-old
blond-haired youth, was brought before him. The young man expressed
his willingness to suffer and die for Christ.
The enraged prefect ordered the two torturers Alexander and Asterius
to bore through the martyr's knees, pass a rope through the bone, and
suspend him head downwards. But the executioners, by God's design,
bored into a block of wood, which they hung up in place of the martyr.
When the prefect saw that they had deceived him, he then ordered that
Alexander and Asterius be whipped. They also confessed themselves
Christians and glorified God.
The prefect ordered them to be beheaded, and so they received the
unfading crown of martyrdom around 284.
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Uncovering of the relics of St Alexis the Metropolitan of
Moscow and Wonderworker of All Russia
The Uncovering of the Relics of Saint Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow
and All Rus. Before his blessed repose in 1378 St Alexis, Metropolitan
of Moscow, left instructions to place his body in the Chudov (Miracle
of the Archangel Michael) monastery in the Kremlin. He designated a
burial place outside the altar of the church, since in his humility he
did not want to be buried in the temple. But the pious Great Prince
Demetrius Ivanovich Donskoy (1363-1389), greatly esteeming the holy
hierarch, gave orders to place the body of Metropolitan Alexis inside
the church, near the altar.
On May 20, 1431 the stairway of the temple where the saint rested
crumbled from old age. During the construction of a new temple, the
incorrupt relics of St Alexis were uncovered. At a Council of Russian
hierarchs the commemoration of Metropolitan Alexis was established on
the day of his repose, February 12, and on the day of the uncovering
of his relics, May 20. He is also commemorated on October 5.
In 1485, the relics of the saint were transferred into a church
dedicated to him. At present, they rest at the Patriarchal Theophany
cathedral in Moscow. The Life of St Alexis is found under February 12.
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Blessed Dovmont (Timothy) the Prince of Pskov
The Holy Prince Dovmont (Domant) of Pskov, prince of Nalshinaisk
(Nalshensk), was a native of Lithuania, and at first he was a pagan.
In 1265, escaping from internecine strife among the Lithuanian
princes, he was forced to flee Lithuania and he arrived in Pskov with
300 families. The land of Pskov became his second country.
Here, in the expression of the Chronicler, "the grace of God was
breathed upon him," when he accepted Holy Baptism with the name
Timothy and received the great gifts of the Lord. Within a year's
time, the people of Pskov chose him as their prince for his bravery
and his true Christian virtues. For thirty-three years he ruled the
city and was the only prince in the history of Pskov who died after
living for so long in peace and in harmony with the Pskov veche
(city-council).
He was just and strict in pursuing justice for others, he gave alms
generously, took in the poor and strangers, he observed the church
feasts, he was a patron of the churches and monasteries and he founded
a monastery in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos.
After his marriage to the daughter of Great Prince Demetrius, the
grandson of St Alexander Nevsky (November 23 and August 30), he became
related to the Russian princely line. Prince Dovmont, like St
Alexander Nevsky, was a glorious defender of the Russian Land. The
prime importance of Prince Dovmont as a military leader and activist
for the realm is that for many years he defended the northwest
boundaries of the Russian realm from hostile incursions.
In 1268, Prince Dovmont was one of the heroes of the historic battle
before Rakovor, where Russian forces won the victory over the Danish
and German armies. Before each battle, St Dovmont went into church,
set down his sword at the steps of the holy altar and received a
blessing from the priest, who girded on his sword for him.
St Dovmont made the Pskov fortress impregnable. In memory of the
glorious defender of the city, a stone wall, built by the holy prince
beside the Krom at the end of the thirteenth century, was named the
Dovmontov, and the territory enclosed by the wall, to the present day
is called Dovmontov town.
The saintly defender's "House of the Holy Trinity" was another pious
matter. In gratitude to the Lord in Whose Name he had gained victory
unharmed, holy Prince Dovmont built a church beside the Pskov Kremlin
in honor of the feastday on which he won the victory. Other
inhabitants of Pskov also built churches there in fulfillment of vows.
The territory of present day Dovmontov town was completely covered
with churches (the first temple in honor of St Dovmont-Timothy was
built in Dovmontov town in 1574).
The brave warrior-prince won his final victory on March 5, 1299 on the
banks of the River Velika, where he defeated a large German army with
a small company. Meanwhile, the Livonian Knights unexpectedly invaded
the suburbs of Pskov, they seized the Snetnogor and Mirozh monasteries
and burned them, cruelly murdering the inhabitants. They killed the
founder of the Snetnogor monastery, St Joasaph, and seventeen monks,
and also St Basil, igumen of Murozh (March 4). Holy Prince Dovmont,
not waiting to raise a large army, went to engage the enemy with his
retainers and he expelled the sacrilegious defilers from the
boundaries of the Russian Land.
Several months later, holy Prince Dovmont-Timothy died and was buried
in the Trinity cathedral of Pskov. The Chronicler relates that "there
was then great sadness in Pleskov for the men and woman and small
children on account of their good lord, the noble Prince Timothy." The
people of Pskov remembered how the holy prince had cared for them
during peaceful times, and when the city was threatened by danger, how
he led them into battle saying, "Good men of Pskov! Whoever is old
among you is my father, whoever is young is my brother. Stand fast for
the Holy Trinity!"
Soon after the Prince's death he began to be venerated as a holy
intercessor before God, guarding the land from enemies and misfortune.
The holy prince defended Pskov more than once after his death. In the
year 1480, when more than a hundred thousand Germans besieged the
city, he appeared in a dream to a certain citizen and said, "Take my
grave cover, carry it three times around the city with a cross, and do
not be afraid."
The people of Pskov fulfilled his instructions and the Germans
departed from the city. A service to the holy prince was composed
after this miraculous deliverance from enemies. Along with the relics
of the saint, his battle sword was preserved (now the sword is in a
Pskov museum). Thereafter, the sword was handed to the Pskov princes
upon their elevation to the princely throne.
Holy Prince Dovmont-Timothy and his wife, the future Schemanun Martha
(November 8), were depicted upon the wonderworking Murozh Icon of the
Mother of God (September 24): "You have bestown a blessing on the
all-pure image of Your icon, O Mother of God, by portraying the
likeness of our steadfast intercessor Prince Dovmont and his pious
spouse" (Service to the holy Prince Dovmont-Timothy).
When the Mother of God appeared to the Elder Dorotheus during a siege
of Pskov by the Poles on August 27, 1581, holy Prince Dovmont-Timothy
was among the saints accompanying the heavenly Protectress of Pskov
(the related account about the Pskov Protection Icon of the Mother of
God is found under October 1).
The relics of holy Prince Dovmont-Timothy rest in the Pskov cathedral
of the Life-Creating Trinity.
The holy Princes Vsevolod and Dovmont aided Russian armies more than
once in defense of the country's western borders. Then came the hour
when they were sent by the Leader of the Heavenly Hosts to rise up in
defense of the eastern frontiers.
In the year 1640, the great national movement to the east, "the
meeting of the sun," resulted in the Russian explorers arriving at the
mouth of the Amur River and the Pacific Ocean. Rus bordered pagan
China on these frontiers. The bulwark of Orthodoxy became the Russian
fortress of Albazin, famous for the wonderworking Albazin Icon of the
Mother of God (March 9) and the heroic "defense of Albazin"
(1685-1686).
In the summer of 1679, during the Apostles' Fast, Gabriel Florov and a
company of cossacks set out from Albazin to explore the Zea River
valley. For three years the cossacks did patrol duty on the Zea,
making the rounds of the surrounding settlements. They brought the
Tungus settlers under Russian rule, and they established winter
quarters and a stockade.
Once, cossack riders encountered two men on white horses, clad in
armor and armed with bows and swords. These were Sts Vsevolod and
Dovmont. Speaking with the cossacks and learning that they were from
Albazin, the holy warrior-princes predicted the approach of Chinese
armies upon the Amur soon afterwards. They said the battle would be
difficult, but predicted the ultimate triumph of Russian arms. "The
Chinese will come again, and enter into a great battle, and we shall
aid the Russian people in these struggles. The Chinese will not
trouble the city."
Several times during 1684-1686 the Chinese horde advanced towards
Albazin, but did not take the city. By the miraculous help of the
Albazin Icon of the Mother of God and the holy Princes Vsevolod and
Dovmont of Pskov, the enemy was rendered powerless against the
Orthodox fortress.
"The Account of the Miracles of Holy Princes Vsevolod and Dovmont" was
written by Gabriel Florov at Yakutsk on October 23, 1689. The fealty
of these saints has not ceased. New generations arise to change the
face of the earth, but the Russian warriors Sts Vsevolod and Dovmont
stand steadfast in sacred patrol of their country.
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Martyr Asclas of Egypt
The Holy Martyr Asclas was a Christian, born in the city of Great
Hermopolis (Middle Egypt). The saint suffered under Diocletian
(284-305). Brought before the governor Arrian, St Asclas boldly
confessed his faith and refused to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods.
The saint predicted to Arrian that there would come a time when he
himself would be forced to call on Jesus Christ as the one true God.
By Arrian's order, they began to torture the saint cruelly, they
suspended him and raked him with iron instruments, so that pieces of
his flesh fell to the ground. St Asclas quietly endured the torments.
When one of those present said, "Look, he is already unconscious and
near to death," the holy martyr answered, "I have not lost
consciousness, and unceasingly do I glorify my God and Savior."
The governor Arrian gave orders to to resume the martyr's tortures in
the city of Antinoe, on the opposite bank of the Nile, where he
himself soon intended to go. But the martyr prayed to God, beseeching
Him to hold back Arrian's boat until he confessed the Lord Jesus
Christ before all the people.
The boat suddenly halted in the middle of the river, and not even oars
could move it from the spot. Arrian ascribed the miracle to sorcery.
In drawing up the sentence of the saint, the governor happened to say
something about the one true God, and then the boat sailed on to
shore. Going into the city, Arrian again gave orders to suspend St
Asclas and scorch him with fire.
Finally, the saint was sentenced to be drowned in the river. The
martyr said to the Christians accompanying him, "Strive, brethren, to
receive the rewards of the Lord God. My children, come to the north
part of the city in three days and find my body. Bury it with the
stone that will be tied to it."
The martyrdom of St Asclas occurred around the year 287, not far from
the city of Antinoe. On the third day, Christians found the body of
the martyr and buried it with the stone.
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Glorification of the Venerable Zebulon, the father of St Nino
Enlightener of Georgia
According to Holy Tradition, St. Nino and Great-martyr George were
blood relatives. At the same time as St. Georges martyrdom, a certain
nobleman, the servant of God Zabulon, arrived in Rome from Cappadocia.
Zabulon began to serve in the emperors army, and before long he was
widely recognized as a courageous cavalryman and a fine soldier.
During a battle with the Franks the Lord granted victory to Zabulonhe
captured the Frankish king and his suite and delivered them to the
Roman emperor. The emperor sentenced the captives to death, but before
they were executed they confessed their desire to be baptized into the
Christian Faith. Zabulon relayed this to the emperor, and Zabulon
himself became their godfather. Then he pleaded with the emperor to
have mercy on his godchildren, and the emperor set them free.
Nearly all the Franks were converted to Christianity as a result of
Zabulons struggles on behalf of the Faith. A 9th-century Georgian
hymnographer wrote, Her father Zabulon converted Gaul with his sword,
and blessed Nino converted Georgia with the Life-giving Cross.
Some time later, St. Zabulon journeyed to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage.
While he was there he distributed all his possessions to the poor and
began to serve Patriarch Juvenal of Jerusalem. There he met Sosana,
the sister of the patriarch. Shortly thereafter they were joined in
marriage by the patriarch.
The newly wedded couple moved to Cappadocia, where they had a baby
girl whom they named Nino. While raising Nino, St. Sosana served God
and the needy with great dedication.
When Nino reached the age of twelve, her parents sold all their
possessions and moved back to Jerusalem. With the blessing of
Patriarch Juvenal, Zabulon departed for the wilderness to begin a life
of asceticism. The place where he labored is known only to God. With
the patriarchs blessing, Sosana ministered to the poor and infirm. On
December 10, 1996, theGeorgian Orthodox Church declared Zabulon and
Sosana, the parents of St. Nino, confessors of the Christian Faith.
Living during a time when pagan religions were still widely practiced
and Christians were often persecuted, they converted many people and
then abandoned worldly things to follow God alone.
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Glorification of the Venerable Susanna, the mother of St Nino
Enlightener of Georgia
According to Holy Tradition, St. Nino and Great-martyr George were
blood relatives. At the same time as St. Georges martyrdom, a certain
nobleman, the servant of God Zabulon, arrived in Rome from Cappadocia.
Zabulon began to serve in the emperors army, and before long he was
widely recognized as a courageous cavalryman and a fine soldier.
During a battle with the Franks the Lord granted victory to Zabulonhe
captured the Frankish king and his suite and delivered them to the
Roman emperor. The emperor sentenced the captives to death, but before
they were executed they confessed their desire to be baptized into the
Christian Faith. Zabulon relayed this to the emperor, and Zabulon
himself became their godfather. Then he pleaded with the emperor to
have mercy on his godchildren, and the emperor set them free.
Nearly all the Franks were converted to Christianity as a result of
Zabulons struggles on behalf of the Faith. A 9th-century Georgian
hymnographer wrote, Her father Zabulon converted Gaul with his sword,
and blessed Nino converted Georgia with the Life-giving Cross.
Some time later, St. Zabulon journeyed to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage.
While he was there he distributed all his possessions to the poor and
began to serve Patriarch Juvenal of Jerusalem. There he met Sosana,
the sister of the patriarch. Shortly thereafter they were joined in
marriage by the patriarch.
The newly wedded couple moved to Cappadocia, where they had a baby
girl whom they named Nino. While raising Nino, St. Sosana served God
and the needy with great dedication.
When Nino reached the age of twelve, her parents sold all their
possessions and moved back to Jerusalem. With the blessing of
Patriarch Juvenal, Zabulon departed for the wilderness to begin a life
of asceticism. The place where he labored is known only to God. With
the patriarchs blessing, Sosana ministered to the poor and infirm. On
December 10, 1996, theGeorgian Orthodox Church declared Zabulon and
Sosana, the parents of St. Nino, confessors of the Christian Faith.
Living during a time when pagan religions were still widely practiced
and Christians were often persecuted, they converted many people and
then abandoned worldly things to follow God alone.
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Venerable Stephen of Piperi, Serbia
No information available at this time.
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Martyr Asterius, companion of Thallaelaios and Alexander
No information available at this time.
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Martyr Alexander, companion of Thallaelaios and Asterius
No information available at this time.
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Martyr Thallelaios at Aegae in Cilicia with his companions
No information available at this time.
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St Lydia of Philippisia
No information available at this time.
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