Daily Readings:
Saints/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated: The Nativity Fast
Commemorated Today
Forefeast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos. St. Gregory Decapolites. St. Proclus, Archbishop of Constantinople. Martyrs Eustace, Thespisius and Anatolius of Nicaea. Martyr Dasius of Dorostorum. Martyrs Azaes the eunuch, Savonius, Thecla, Anna; Hieromartyrs Nerses and Joseph; and John, Severius, Isaac and Hypatius, Bishops of Persia. St. Theoctistus the Confessor. Martyrs Bautha and Denachis who suffered with Hieromartyr Nerses. St. Isaac, Bishop of Armenia.
O Holy God-Pleasers, Pray to God for Us!
Пятница, 3 Декабря/ 20 Ноября (Церковный календарь)
Предпразднство Введения во храм Пресвятой Богородицы. Прп. Григория Декаполита (816). Свт. Прокла, архиеп. Константинопольского (446-447). Мч. Дасия и Дионисия в Доростоле (284-305). Мчч. Евстафия, Феспесия и Анатолия (312). Сщмчч. Нирсы еп. и Иосифа, ученика его, Иоанна, Саверия, Исакия и Ипатия, епископов Персидских; мч. Азата скопца, Сасония, Феклы, Анны, Вауфы, Денахисы, Папия и иных многих мужей и жен, в Персиде пострадавших (343). Св. Исаака, еп, Армянскаго. Св. Феоктиста, исп. Иконы Божией Матери "Олонецкая". Новосвмчч. Макария, еп. Днепропетровского и пресв. Анатолия Жураковского. Новопрепмчч. Евтихия(Качур), Илариона(Писарец), свмчч. пресв. Александра Сахарова, Алексия Аманова, Алексия Никатова, Владимира Медведюка, Иоанна Заболотного и Николая Зеленова в Бутове убиенных.
Prophet Zephaniah
The Prophet Zephaniah (Sophonias) was a contemporary of the Prophet Jeremiah and the Prophetess Oldama. He was from the tribe of Simeon, and was the ninth of the Twelve Minor Prophets of the Old Testament. The prophet lived at the royal court, where he preached repentance and helped King Josiah eliminate idol-worship.
He prophesied about the calamities that were to come for the people of Judea and the surrounding regions: Gaza, Ascalon, Crete, and against the Moabites, the Ammonites and the Ninevites.
Kontakion - Tone 4
You have been revealed by the Spirit of God to be brilliant, Prophet
Zephaniah, for you proclaimed the coming of God:
"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Proclaim Him, O Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to save mankind!"
Troparion - Tone 2
We celebrate the memory
of Your prophet Zephaniah, O Lord;
through him we beseech You:
"Save our souls."
Venerable Sava the Abbot of Zvenigorod the Disciple of the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh
Saint Sava Storozhevsky of Zvenigorod left the world in his early youth, and received the monastic tonsure from St Sergius of Radonezh, whose disciple and fellow-ascetic he was.
St Sava loved solitude, and avoided conversing with people. He lived in constant toil, lamenting the poverty of his soul, and trembling before the judgment of God. He was a model of simplicity and humility, and he attained to such a depth of spiritual wisdom that "in the monastery of St Sergius he was a spiritual confessor to all the brethren, a venerable and exceedingly learned Elder."
When Great Prince Demetrius of the Don built the monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God at the River Dubenka, in gratitude for the victory over Mamai, Sava became its Igumen, with the blessing of St Sergius. Preserving the simple manner of his ascetic lifestyle, he ate plants, wore coarse clothing and slept on the ground.
In 1392 the brethren of the Sergiev Lavra, with the departure of its Igumen Nikon into the wilderness, asked St Sava to be the igumen of the monastery. Here he "shepherded well the flock entrusted to him to the best of his ability, helped by the prayers of his spiritual Father, St Sergius." According to Tradition, the great well outside the Lavra walls was built when he was igumen.
Prince Yuri Dimitrievich Zvenigorodsky, a godson of St Sergius, regarded St Sava with great love and esteem. He chose St Sava as his spiritual Father and begged him to come and bestow his blessing upon all his household. The saint had hoped to return to his monastery, but the prince begged him to remain and establish a new monastery, "in his fatherland, near Zvenigorod, at a place called Storozhi."
St Sava accepted the request of Prince Yuri Dimitrievich, and praying with tears before an icon of the Mother of God, he entreated Her protection for the wilderness place. On Storozhi Hill, he built a small wooden church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, and a small cell for himself nearby. Here in the year 1399 the monk established a monastery, lovingly accepting all who came seeking a life of silence and seclusion.
St Sava toiled much at the building up of his monastery. He dug a well at the foot of the hill, from which he carried water on his own shoulders; he encircled the monastery with a wooden palisade, and in a hollow above it, he dug out a cell where he could dwell in solitude.
In 1399 St Sava blessed his spiritual son, Prince Yuri, to go on a military campaign, and he predicted victory over the enemy. Through the prayers of the holy Elder, the forces of the prince won a speedy victory. Through the efforts of St Sava, a stone church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos was also built to replace the wooden one.
St Sava died at an advanced age on December 3, 1406. He appointed his disciple, also named Sava, to succeed him.
Veneration of the God-pleaser by the local people began immediately after his death. The miraculous curative power issuing from the grave of the monk, and his numerous appearances, convinced everyone that Igumen Sava "is truly an unsetting sun of divine light, illumining all with its miraculous rays." In a letter of 1539 St Sava is called a wonderworker. Tsar Alexis Mikhailovich had a special veneration for him, repeatedly going to the monastery of St Sava on foot. Tradition has preserved for us a remarkable account of how St Sava once saved him from a ferocious bear.
The Life of St Sava, compiled in the sixteenth century, relates how at the end of the fifteenth century (1480-1490), the saint appeared to Dionysius, the fourth igumen of the St Sava monastery and said to him: "Dionysius! Wake up and paint my icon." When Dionysius asked who he was, he replied, "I am Sava, the founder of this place."
Now Dionysius had not known the saint personally, so he summoned Elder Habakkuk, who had known St Sava in his youth, hoping to convince himself of the truth of the dream. He described the outward appearance of the saint, and Habakkuk assured him that the saint looked exactly as the igumen had seen him in his dream. Then Dionysius fulfilled the command and painted the icon of St Sava.
The feastday of St Sava was established at the Moscow Council of 1547. The incorrupt relics of the saint were uncovered on January 19, 1652.
Kontakion - Tone 2
Burning with desire for the Lord,
You shook off carnal passions.
You were revealed as shining with the never-setting Divine Light.
Rays of wonders poured from your relics upon all the faithful,
O our Venerable Father Sabbas.
Troparion - Tone 8
You revealed the desert as good growth, O Venerable One.
For from your youth you desired to live a pure life,
Following your spiritual director and his teaching,
You trained your mind on the heavens,
You have shown the wisdom of the instructor to your flock.
Therefore, even as Christ has shown you the torch of the enriching wonders:
Our Father Sabbas, pray to save our souls.
St Theodoulus the Eparch of Constantinople
Saint Theodoulus was an eparch during the reign of Theodosius the Great. He resigned his position because he did not want to be distracted by vain worldly cares.
After his wife's death, St Theodoulus gave his wealth away to the poor and became a monk. He traveled to Edessa and lived on top of a pillar for thirty years, eating only once a week.
St Theodoulus the Stylite departed to the Lord around 440
St John the Silent of St Sabbas Monastery
Saint John the Silent was born around 454 in the city of Nicopolis, Armenia into the family of a military commander named Enkratius and his wife Euphemia. The boy began to study Holy Scripture, and he loved solitude and prayer with all his heart.
With the inheritance his parents left him, John built a church dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos. At eighteen years of age John became a monk, living an ascetic life of fasting, prayer and temperance with ten other monks at the church he had founded.
At the request of the citizens of Colonia, the Metropolitan of Sebaste consecrated the twenty-eight-year-old John as Bishop of Colonia. Having assumed the episcopal throne, the saint did not alter his strict ascetic manner of life. Under the influence of the saint his relatives, his brother Pergamios (an associate of the emperors Zeno and Anastasius) and his nephew Theodore (an associate of the emperor Justinian), also lived in a Christian manner.
In John's tenth year as bishop, the governorship of Armenia was resumed by Pazinikos, the husband of the saint's sister, Maria. The new governor began to interfere in spiritual and ecclesiastical matters, and there was unrest in the Church. St John then went to Constantinople, and through Archbishop Euthymius, he entreated the emperor Zeno to defend the Armenian Church from the evil Governor.
Overwhelmed by worldly quarrels, John secretly left his diocese and sailed to Jerusalem. With tears he besought God to show him a place where he might live and find salvation. A bright star appeared, which led St John to the Lavra of St Sava.
John, concealing his episcopal rank, was accepted in the community as a simple novice. Under the guidance of the igumen St Sava (December 5), Bishop John toiled obediently for more than four years at every task he was assigned. When a guesthouse was built at the Lavra, St John served the workers, serving their food and assisting in the construction of the building. When a cenobitic monastery for novices was being built, John was once again assigned to help the workers.
Seeing St John's humility and love of labor, St Sava deemed him worthy of ordination to presbyter. St John was forced to reveal his rank to Patriarch Elias of Jerusalem (494-517), who told St Sava that John could not be ordained. Moreover, he said that John was to live in silence, and that no one should trouble him. Soon the Lord also revealed St John's secret to St Sava. St John spent four years in his cell, receiving no one and not going out even for church.
Desiring ever greater solitude and increased abstinence, St John quit the Lavra and withdrew into the desert, where he spent more than nine years, eating plants and grass. He survived a devastating incursion of the Saracens and did not perish, only because the Lord sent him a defender: a ferocious lion. When the enemy tried to harm the saint, the lion attacked them and they scattered in fright. Tradition speaks of many miracles St John performed during this time in the desert.
When St Sava returned after an extended stay in Scythopolis, he persuaded St John to forsake the wilderness and to live at the monastery. After this, the Lord, in a miraculous way, revealed to everyone at the Lavra that the monk John was actually a bishop.
When St John reached age seventy, his holy and God-bearing spiritual Father St Sava died. The saint grieved deeply over this, since he was not present at the time. St Sava appeared to him in a vision, and having consoled him, he foretold that there would be much toil ahead in the struggle against heresy. St John even had to leave his solitude to strengthen the brethren in the struggle with the Origenists.
St John the Silent spent sixty-six years at the Lavra of St Sava the Sanctified. Through his constant ascetic efforts, by his untiring prayer and humble wisdom, St John acquired the grace of the Holy Spirit. At his prayers, many miracles took place, and he was able to discern the secret thoughts of people. He healed the sick and those possessed by demons. Even during his lifetime he saved those who invoked his name from certain destruction. Once, he scattered fig seeds on barren rock, and a beautiful and fruitful tree sprang up. In time, the tree grew so much that it overshadowed the saint's cell.
St John the Silent departed to the Lord in peace at the age of 104.
Hieromartyr Theodore the Archbishop of Alexandria
The Hieromartyr Theodore, Bishop of Alexandria, was born in Egypt in the city of Alexandria. This city was famous for its many martyrs and confessors: from the holy Evangelist Mark, Protomartyr of Alexandria (April 25), to St Athanasius the Great (January 18 and May 2), a pillar and confessor of Orthodoxy.
Regrettably, historical records do not give us precise details of St Theodore's life and deeds, but the Church of Christ has preserved the name of the hieromartyr in its diptychs for all time.
A fiery preacher, powerful of word and church activity, Bishop Theodore evoked an angry hatred in the boisterous pagans of Alexandria, who did not like his preaching. During one of his sermons they surrounded and seized the saint. They beat him and jeered at him, but he did not offer resistance. They placed a crown of thorns on his head, and led him through the city.
Then they led him to the seacoast and threw him from a cliff into the sea, but the wind and the waves carried him back to dry land. The astonished pagans brought St Theodore to the prefect of the city, who commanded that he be subjected to harsh tortures. Not a word did the torturers hear from the tortured confessor, except his prayer to the Lord. Then the holy martyr was handed over to Roman soldiers and executed in the manner of the Apostle Paul, he was beheaded with a sword
Monkmartyr Cosmas of St Anne Skete, Mt Athos
Saint Cosmas was a monk of St Anne's Skete on Mount Athos. He was executed in Constantinople on December 3, 1760 when he refused to convert to Islam. The specific details of his martyrdom are not known
St George of Cernica and Caldarushani
Saint George was born in 1730, and became a monk on Mount Athos when he was a young man. He was a disciple of St Paisius Velichkovsky (November 15) who was then the igumen of Vatopedi Monastery.
Since the skete at Cernica had been deserted for almost thirty years, Metropolitan Gregory II of Wallachia asked Elder George to revive monastic life there according to the Athonite Typikon.
St George's efforts at Cernica were so successful that Metropolitan Philaret II also entrusted him with leading the Caldarushani Monastery, which he guided until his death. Life at both monasteries followed the Athonite-Paisian hesychastic tradition.
St George was glorified by the Romanian Orthodox Church in 2005. His holy relics are in the Cernica Monastery, where they are venerated by the faithful.
New Martyr Angelos of Chios
Scriptural Readings (in English):
Daily Scripture Readings
Prayer Before Reading the Scriptures
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prayer Before Reading the Holy Scriptures
Titus 1:15-16 -- Titus 2:1-10
Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
Luke 20:19-26
And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them. And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's. And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's. And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.
Scriptural Readings (in Russian):
Молитва перед чтением Евангелия
Ежедневные Евангельские Чтения
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Молитва перед чтением Евангелия
Послание к Титу святого апостола Павла
1:15-16 -- 2:1-10
Для чистых все чисто; а для оскверненных и неверных нет ничего чистого, но осквернены и ум их и совесть. Они говорят, что знают Бога, а делами отрекаются, будучи гнусны и непокорны и не способны ни к какому доброму делу.
Ты же говори то, что сообразно с здравым учением: чтобы старцы были бдительны, степенны, целомудренны, здравы в вере, в любви, в терпении; чтобы старицы также одевались прилично святым, не были клеветницы, не порабощались пьянству, учили добру; чтобы вразумляли молодых любить мужей, любить детей, быть целомудренными, чистыми, попечительными о доме, добрыми, покорными своим мужьям, да не порицается слово Божие. Юношей также увещевай быть целомудренными. Во всем показывай в себе образец добрых дел, в учительстве чистоту, степенность, неповрежденность, слово здравое, неукоризненное, чтобы противник был посрамлен, не имея ничего сказать о нас худого. Рабов увещевай повиноваться своим господам, угождать им во всем, не прекословить, не красть, но оказывать всю добрую верность, дабы они во всем были украшением учению Спасителя нашего, Бога.
От Луки святое благовествование
20:19-26
И искали в это время первосвященники и книжники, чтобы наложить на Него руки, но побоялись народа, ибо поняли, что о них сказал Он эту притчу. И, наблюдая за Ним, подослали лукавых людей, которые, притворившись благочестивыми, уловили бы Его в каком-либо слове, чтобы предать Его начальству и власти правителя. И они спросили Его: Учитель! мы знаем, что Ты правдиво говоришь и учишь и не смотришь на лице, но истинно пути Божию учишь; позволительно ли нам давать подать кесарю, или нет? Он же, уразумев лукавство их, сказал им: что вы Меня искушаете? Покажите Мне динарий: чье на нем изображение и надпись? Они отвечали: кесаревы. Он сказал им: итак, отдавайте кесарево кесарю, а Божие Богу. И не могли уловить Его в слове перед народом, и, удивившись ответу Его, замолчали.
No comments:
Post a Comment