ON THIS DATE: From the Prologue to Ohrid/Ochrid

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE PRIESTLY-MARTYR EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA

Eusebius was a great exposer of Arianism. When the throne of Antioch became vacant, Meletius was elected patriarch at the insistence of Eusebius. Meletius was a great beacon of the Church who, after his death, was found worthy of great praise by St. John Chrysostom. However, the Arians quickly banished Meletius from Antioch. When Constantine's pernicious son Constantius died another much worse than he was crowned, Julian the Apostate. During the time of Julian's persecution of Christians, St. Eusebius removed his clerical attire and donned a soldier's uniform so that, under the guise of a soldier, he visited the persecuted Church throughout Syria, Phoenicia and Palestine strengthening the Orthodox Faith everywhere and installing the necessary priests and deacons and other clergy and, in some places, bishops. Following the stormy death of Julian, St. Eusebius counseled Meletius to convene a Council in Antioch in 361 A.D. at which twenty-seven hierarchs were present and the Arian heresy was condemned once more and the Faith of Orthodoxy was proclaimed in the same manner as it was expressed at the First Ecumenical Council [Nicea 325 A.D]. Along with Meletius and Eusebius, St. Pelagius of Laodicea the famous ascetic and chaste one, made a great impact at the Council of Antioch. This Council was held during the reign of the pious Emperor Jovian. However, Emperor Jovian soon died and the wicked Valens was crowned and again the persecution of Orthodoxy ensued. St. Meletius was exiled to Armenia, Eusebius exiled to Thrace and Pelagius exiled to Arabia. After Valens, Gratian was crowned emperor and it was he who granted freedom to the Church and recalled the exiled hierarchs to their former sees. Thus, they returned: Meletius to Antioch, Eusebius to Samosata and Pelagius to Laodicea. At this time, many dioceses and many parishes were widowed and Eusebius zealously hurried to find and to give to the people canonical shepherds. When he came to the town of Doliche to enthrone the newly elected bishop Marinus and to denounce the heresy of Arius, which was strong in this town, a fanatical heretic hurled a ceramic tile at Eusebius' head and mortally wounded him. This great zealot, saint and martyr of Orthodoxy died to live eternally in the blessedness of Paradise. He suffered in the year 379 A.D.

1. THE HOLY MARTYRS ZENO AND ZENAS

Zeno was a Roman officer in the Arabian town of Philadelphia and Zenas was his servant. When the persecution of Christians began during the reign of Emperor Maximian, St. Zeno boldly appeared before Commander Maximus, confessed his faith in the One Living God and counseled Maximus that, he too, renounce lifeless idols and embrace the only True Faith. The commander became enraged and cast Zeno into prison. When the faithful Zenas visited his master in prison, he also was seized and arrested. Both of them were tortured for Christ and finally thrown into the fire that the pagans had doused with oil. Their souls were crowned with wreaths in the Kingdom of Christ and their bodily remains were interred in the Church of St. George at the place called Cyparisson.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT EUSEBIUS SAINT MELETIUS SAINT PELAGIUS

The Church is never without shepherds,

Neither without suffering nor without heroes.

When the sharp sword flashes in a Goliath manner,

Resistance offered, the Shepherd of Samosata,

Eusebius and Meletius with him,

As two stars the third: Pelagius.

Zealots of Holy Orthodoxy,

Glorious saints of God's Church.

Suffering for Christians, there was at that time,

On both sides, bitter sufferings,

On one side, the wild heretics

On the other side, the insane emperors.

To preserve the soul, it was difficult

And the truth of God, to withstand,

Against lies and against violence,

Amidst the tares, very little sweet basil there was,

A little, a little immortelle and feather grass!

Three hierarchs three fragrant flowers:

Enough honey for all the poison of the world.

Eusebius as a zealot began

And his life as a martyr ended.

Eusebius, as a high priest,

God's chosen one, bless us!

REFLECTION

Why does the good Lord permit assaults and sufferings on the True Faith while He permits the pleasure of tranquility to heresies and paganism? Why? Even St. John Chrysostom asks and immediately replies: "So that you would recognize their weakness (the weakness of the heresies and paganism) when you see that they disintegrate on their own without any disturbance and also to be convinced in the power of faith which endures misfortunes and even multiplies through its adversaries." "Therefore, if we quarrel with the pagans or with the wretched Jews, it is sufficient to emphasize as evidence of divine power that the Faith (Christianity) which was subjected to countless struggles maintained victory" even when the entire world stood against her [the Church]. St. Isaac the Syrian says: "The wondrous love of God toward man is recognized when man is in misfortunes that are destroying his hope. Here, God manifests His power for his [man's] salvation. For man never recognizes the power of God in tranquility and freedom."

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the miraculous dumbness of Zacharias the high-priest: "And behold, you shall be dumb and unable to speak until the day when these things come to pass, because you have not believed my words which will be fulfilled in their proper time" ( St. Luke 1:20 ):

1. How Zacharias did not believe the angel of God that the old womb of his wife [Elizabeth] could conceive and give birth and how, because of that he was struck dumb according to the words of the angel;

2. How, even I am, as though struck dumb when I cannot sufficiently speak about God's miracles because my faith is small.

HOMILY

About how the slothful man excuses himself

"The slothful man says: A lion is outside; in the streets I might be slain!" (Proverbs 22:13 ).

In order to justify his slothfulness, the slothful man emphasizes the difficulties and obstacles of a certain task and magnifies them beyond measure. If a man annoys him, he will say that the entire village annoys him; if the leaves rustle, he will justify that he is unable to go to work because of a storm; if a rabbit is in front of his house, he will say it is a lion! He says this in order not to leave the house and to delay his work.

Slothfulness is completely contrary to the nature of man. The nature of man is activity; the nature of man seeks to be occupied, to work and to build. Slothfulness is the sure sign of a distortion of the nature of man. That slothfulness is a terrible vice is clear in that an active man is never envious of the slothful man, while the slothful man is envious of the active man; in the same manner a sober man is not envious of the drunk, while the drunk is envious of the sober man.

O Lord, ever-active Creator, save us from the dull and sinful slothfulness by which we distance ourselves from our primordial nature [created] from Your image and likeness, Master of all things! Inspire us, with Your Holy Spirit, all-compassionate and joy-creating.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE HOLY FEMALE-MARTYR AGRIPPINA

Saint Agrippina was born and educated in Rome. From her childhood she trained herself to live an evangelical life, driving away the stench of passions from her heart and filling her heart with the sweet-smelling fragrance of purity, of virginity and chastity. She was betrothed to Christ the Lord and, as the Bride of Christ, suffered during the reign of Emperor Valerian. She endured flogging with rods until her bones were crushed. An angel of God appeared to her and strengthened her. While being tortured, St. Agrippina gave up her soul to God. Her companions, Bassa, Paula and Agathonice, translated her relics to the island of Sicily and honorably buried them there. A church was later built there in St. Agrippina's honor. Countless miracles were wrought from her relics. By the power of her relics, even the Hagarians were turned away from the town where her relics reposed. St. Agrippina rested in the year 275 A.D. and was crowned with glory.

1. THE HOLY MARTYRS EUSTOCHIUS AND GAIUS AND OTHERS WITH THEM

Eustochius was a pagan priest during the reign of Emperor Maximian and by witnessing the heroism of the Christian martyrs rejected paganism and was baptized. Eudoxius, the bishop of Antioch, personally baptized him. After that Eustochius gradually converted his relatives to Christianity. His relative Gaius was baptized along with three children: Probus, Lollias and Urban. All of these, and others with them, were brought before the court, tortured and beheaded in Lystra for the sake of their faith in Christ the Lord. Their souls took up habitation in the eternal Kingdom of Christ.

1. THE COMMEMORATION OF THE ICON OF THE ALL-HOLY BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD [THEOTOKOS] OF THE TOWN OF VLADIMIR

When the Tartar King Ahmet besieged Moscow, Prince John Vasillievitch set out with an army to defend the city. Even though the army of Prince John was smaller in number and weaker than the Tartar army, nevertheless, it emerged victorious. All at once, an indescribable fear overcame the Tartars and they became confused and fled. Everyone ascribed this unexpected success to the icon of the All-Holy Birth-giver of God before whom the Russian people prayed for salvation from the Tartars. As a result of this, June 23 was designated in Russia for the commemoration of this miracle.

1. THE HISTORY OF THE REPENTANCE OF THEOPHILUS

Theophilus, out of envy toward the bishop, rendered his soul to the devil and, in writing, renounced Christ and the Birth-giver of God [Theotokos]. However, after that Theophilus repented bitterly and obtained the forgiveness of the Holy All-pure One. After forty days of fasting and tearful prayers, Theophilus received back the paper he had written renouncing Christ, which he had given to the devil, and openly confessed his sin in church before the bishop and the people. When the bishop pronounced the words of forgiveness and administered Holy Communion to him, the face of Theophilus shone as the sun. Behold, an example of how the merciful God not only forgives the sins of true penitents but also includes them among the saints.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT AGRIPPINA

Agrippina, purer than the lily,

Of God's Son, the betrothed,

Her soul, brighter than a flame

And her faith, firmer than a rock.

To the Lord she prayed, while being flogged,

Chanted psalms while enduring the wounds,

Forgiving everyone and blessing all,

As a pillar of blood, stood before judgment.

When her bones were crushed

An angel descended, the wounds healed!

But when new sufferings were imposed,

Agrippina's strength gave out,

To God, Agrippina gave her spirit,

The soul departed, the body remained.

The holy relics of St. Agrippina

Are the defense of the land of Sicily,

Medicine to the misfortunate and to the sick

And a protection from the battlesome hoards.

By the prayers of Saint Agrippina

May many miseries pass us by.

REFLECTION

Christian patience is a meek patience, but patience with a weak malice does not differ much from vengeance. Our saints are great in every good evangelical work but how great and magnificent are they in meek patience! Perhaps they appear the greatest to us in this goodness because we are the smallest in it. When the desert fathers at one time had gathered around John Kolovos [The Short] to hear an instruction a certain envious one heckled: "Your vessel, O John, is full of poison!" To that the meek John immediately responded: "You said that only seeing the exterior but what would you have said if you could see the interior?" When they brought out Cyprian, the Bishop of Carthage for beheading, he commanded that twenty-five gold pieces be given to his executioner following his death.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the miraculous healing of Zacharias from dumbness: "And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed and he began to speak, blessing God" ( St. Luke 1:64 ).

1. How Zacharias became dumb because of his disbelief in the angel of God;

2. How Zacharias spoke as soon as he fulfilled the command of the angel: "And asking for a writing tablet, he wrote the words: ' John is his name' " ( St. Luke 1:63 );

3. How dumbness will fall from my soul as soon as I begin to fulfill the commandments of God and how my soul will be full of words and wisdom according to God.

HOMILY

About how we need not envy the sinners

"Be not emulous [envious] of evil men" (Proverbs 24:1 ).

Does anyone envy the leper? No one envies him. Why then do some envy the evil man when evil is a greater sickness than leprosy? Leprosy is a disease of the flesh but evil is a disease of the soul. A leper can be healthy within while he is unhealthy on the outside. However, the evil man can be healthy on the outside but his interior is ill, his heart is sick. Greater value has a tree that is sick on the outside but has a healthy core than a tree that is healthy on the outside but has a rotten core. Thus, leprosy is a lesser evil than evil i.e., than sin. Because under evil, the All-wise One thought of sin as evil.

Does the physician envy the sick person? He does not envy him. Neither does the righteous one envy the sinner. If you do not know whether you are righteous examine your heart: do you envy the sinner? If you envy the sinner then you are not righteous; if you do not envy the sinner, then rejoice, O righteous one of God. The sick person can envy the healthy one, but the healthy person does not envy the sick person. Neither does the righteous envy the sinner. A physician recognizes a fatal illness of his patient and, knowing that, he pities him but does not envy him. The righteous one recognizes the sickness of sin, horrifying and deadly, and does not envy the sinner but pities him.

O good and compassionate Lord, uproot envy from our hearts and implant love.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

. THE NATIVITY OF SAINT JOHN THE FORERUNNER AND BAPTIZER OF THE LORD

Six months before his appearance in Nazareth to the All-holy Virgin Mary, the great archangel of God, Gabriel appeared to Zacharias the high priest in the Temple at Jerusalem. Before he announced the miraculous conception to the unwed virgin [Mary], the archangel announced the miraculous conception to the childless old woman [Elizabeth]. Zacharias did not immediately believe the words of the herald of God and this is why his tongue was tied with dumbness and remained as such until eight days after the birth of John. On that day, the relatives of Zacharias and Elizabeth gathered for the young child's circumcision and for the sake of giving him a name. When they asked the father what name he wishes to give to his son and being dumb, he wrote on a tablet: "John." At that moment his tongue became loosed and he began to speak. The home of Zacharias was on the heights between Bethlehem and Hebron. The news of the appearance of the angel of God to Zacharias was spread throughout all of Israel, as well as of his dumbness and the loosening of his tongue at thee moment when he wrote the name "John." The news concerning this even reached Herod. Therefore, when Herod sent soldiers to slay the children throughout Bethlehem, he directed men to the hilly dwelling place of the family of Zacharias to kill John also. However, Elizabeth promptly hid the child. Enraged, at this King Herod sent his executioners to Zacharias in the Temple to slay him (for it happened that it was Zacharias' turn again to serve in the Temple of Jerusalem). Zacharias was slain between the court and the temple and his blood coagulated and petrified on the stone pavers and remained a perpetual witness against Herod. Elizabeth hid with the child in a cave where she died soon after. The young child John remained in the wilderness alone under the care of God and God's angels.

1. SAINT NICETAS, BISHOP OF REMESIANA

Nicetas was a friend and the same age as St. Paulinus of Nola (January 23). It appears that he was a Slav and, as such, preached the Gospel among the Slavs in the region of Nish and Pirot. The kind of change that St. Nicetas did among the Slavs is best shown in the hymn which St. Paulinus composed about St. Nicetas: "O what a change! And how fortunate!" Until then the impassible and bloody mountains concealing robbers now converted into monks; cadets of peace. Where once the habits of wild beasts, there is now the feature of angels. The righteous one hides in a cave where earlier, the evildoer dwelled. The episcopal see of Nicetas was Remesiana which some understand to be Pirot. Along with his missionary service, St. Nicetas also wrote several books such as the six books about Faith and a book about a fallen maiden (which aroused many to repentance). Saint Nicetas reposed in the Lord in the fifth century.

1. THE HOLY MARTYRS ORENTIUS, PHARNACIUS, EROS, FIRMUS, FIRMINUS, CYRIACUS AND LONGINUS

They were all brothers and Roman soldiers during the reign of Emperor Maximian. When the Romans were waging war against the Scythians beyond the Danube river, St. Orentius came forth to battle with Marathom, the Scythian Goliath, and slew him. Because of this, the entire Roman army offered sacrifices to the gods but Orentius, with his brothers, declared that they were Christians and could not offer sacrifices to the deaf and dumb idols. Regardless of their military merits, they were condemned to exile to the Caspian region however, along the way, all seven, one after the other, died from hunger and sufferings and took up habitation in the Kingdom of Christ.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST

By God's miracle, John entered the world,

As once did Sarah's and Abraham's Isaac,

By God's miracle, remained alive

From Herod's bloody knife.

The knife, the young child John missed,

But John's father, it did not miss;

By God's miracle, John in the desert

For thirty years, he sustained himself,

To the servant of God angels are shepherds,

To the poor angels are guardians!

John grew loveable lamb,

The Lamb of God to serve,

To proclaim the bright day, before the sun,

The Unknown, recognized and glorified.

Of the great prophets, the last

And of God's apostles, the beginning.

As Elijah, with God he speaks

And as an apostle, loves and rebukes,

Of the high priest, wondrous son,

Of the martyr of God, the first-born brother.

REFLECTION

One of the differences between the eloquent philosophy of the Greeks [Hellenes] and the Christian Faith is that the entire Hellenistic philosophy can clearly be expressed with words and comprehended by reading, while the Christian Faith cannot be clearly expressed by words and even less comprehended by reading alone. When you are expounding the Christian Faith, for its understanding and acceptance, both reading and the practice of what is read are necessary. When Patriarch Photius read the words of Mark the Ascetic concerning the spiritual life he noticed a certain unclarity with the author for which he wisely said: "That [unclarity] does not proceed from the obscurity of expression but from that truth which is expressed there; it is better understood by means of practice (rather than by means of words) and that cannot be explained by words only." And this, the great patriarch adds, "It is not the case with these homilies nor only with these men but rather with all of those who attempted to expound the ascetical rules, passions and instructions, which are better understood from practice alone."

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the miraculous recognition of the Elder Simeon the Receiver of God: "And he came by inspiration of the Spirit into the Temple. And when his parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him according to the custom of the Law:" ( St. Luke 2:27 ):

1. How this holy elder recognized by the spirit the helpless Child as Lord and Messiah, while the blinded scribes and priests did not recognize Him neither then nor when He worked numerous miracles and revealed unheard of wisdom;

2. How also my soul, if it grew old in sin, cannot recognize the Lord.

HOMILY

Against malicious rejoicing

"Rejoice not when your enemy falls and when he stumbles, let not your heart exult" (Proverbs 24:17 ).

He is a man, do not rejoice in his fall. He is your brother, let not your heart skip for joy when he stumbles. God created him for life and God does not rejoice in his fall. And you also, do not rejoice at that which grieves God. When man falls, God loses; would you rejoice in the loss of your Creator, your Parent? When the angels weep would you rejoice?

When your enemy falls, pray to God for him that God will save him and give thanks to God that you did not also fall in the same manner. You are of the same material, both you and he, as two vessels from the hand of the potter. If one vessel breaks should the other smile and rejoice? Behold, a small stone, which broke that vessel waits only for another's hand to raise it and then to destroy this vessel also. Both vessels are of the same material and a small stone can destroy a hundred vessels.

When one sheep is lost, should the remaining flock rejoice? No. They should not rejoice. For behold, the shepherd leaves his flock and, concerned, goes to seek the lost sheep. The loss of the shepherd is the loss of the flock. Therefore, do not rejoice when your enemy falls, for neither your shepherd nor his shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, rejoices in his fall.

O Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, extricate malicious joy from our hearts and in its place, plant in our hearts compassion and brotherly love.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE VENERABLE FEMALE-MARTYR FEBRONIA [FEVRONIA]

Febronia was the daughter of Prosphorus, a senator from Rome. In order to avoid marriage with a mortal man, Febronia betrothed herself to Christ and was tonsured a nun in the east, in the country of Assyria, in a convent where her aunt Bryaena was abbess. Lysimachus, the son of a nobleman, desired to wed Febronia but since Emperor Diocletian suspected him to be a secret Christian, he sent Lysimachus to the east with his uncle Silenus to apprehend and kill Christians. Silenus was as cruel as a beast and exterminated Christians everywhere without mercy. Lysimachus, on the contrary, spared the Christians wherever he could and hid them from his beast-like uncle. Making Palmyra a wasteland of Christians, Silenus came to the town of Nisibis close to which was a convent with fifty ascetics among whom was Febronia. Even though she was only twenty years old, Febronia was respected in the convent and in the town because of her great meekness, wisdom and restraint. In this convent the rule of the former abbess Blessed Platonida was adhered to in that every Friday be spent only in prayer and the reading of the sacred books without any other type of work. Bryaena had designated Febronia to read the sacred books to the sisters hidden behind a curtain so that no one would be distracted and captivated by the beauty of her face. Hearing about Febronia, Silenus ordered that Febronia be brought to him. But, when the holy virgin refused to deny Christ and to agree to enter into marriage with a mortal man, Silenus ordered her to be whipped, and after that to knock out her teeth, cut off her hands, breasts then legs and finally to slay her with a sword. However, a horrible punishment from God befell the torturer the same day. A rage entered into him and he was overcome by a deadly horror. In this horror he struck his head against a marble pillar and fell dead. Lysimachus ordered that Febronia's body be gathered and brought to the convent where it was honorably buried and he, with many other soldiers, were baptized. Many healings have occurred from the relics of St. Febronia and she appeared on the day of her feast and stood in her usual place among the sisters and all the sisters looked upon her with fear and rejoicing. St. Febronia suffered and took up habitation in eternal blessedness in the year 310 A.D. In the year 363 A.D., her relics were translated to Constantinople.

1. VENERABLE DIONYSIUS

Dionysius was the founder of the monastery of St. John (Dionysiat) on Mt. Athos. He was born in Koritza in Albania. His older brother Theodosius withdrew to Mt. Athos where, in time, he became the abbot of the monastery Philotheou. When St. Dionysius had matured he went to his brother in Philotheou and his brother tonsured him a monk. By divine providence, while in Constantinople on a work assignment for the monastery, Theodosius was chosen and consecrated as metropolitan of Trebizond. A wondrous light began to appear every night to Dionysius on the spot where he later built the monastery of St. John the Forerunner. Explaining the appearance of this light as a sign from heaven that he should build a monastery there, Dionysius traveled to Trebizond to seek help from his brother Theodosius and Emperor Alexius Comnenis. The emperor gave him both money and a royal charter, which is still preserved in the monastery. Dionysius founded the monastery of St. John the Forerunner in the year 1380 A.D. At one time, when pirates plundered the monastery, Dionysius again traveled to Trebizond and died there at the age of seventy-two. The monastery of Dionysiat still continues and flourishes even today. There is an icon of the All-holy Birth-giver of God in that monastery called "The Praise" which Emperor Alexius Comnenis donated to Dionysius. According to tradition, the Akathist to the Theotokos [Birth-giver of God] composed by Patriarch Sergius was read for the first time.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT FREBONIA

The virgin Febronia, confesses Christ

Before judgment standing, bloody and pale.

As a palm branch, the young Febronia.

From beautiful fruit, a branch became heavy,

And to Silenus she speaks: "A Bridegroom, have I,

And no type of honor, from you do I accept,

Christ is my glory, Christ is my pride,

O yes, the beautiful countenance of my Bridegroom!

Cut off, cut off my feet - paths they have traveled!

Cut off, cut off my hands - work they have completed!

Cut out, cut out my tongue - with my heart I will pray!

Smash, smash my mouth - with my heart, I will speak!

Whip, crush the body - why do I need the body?

A more beautiful garment, the Bridegroom has prepared,

Among many holy ones, in the heavens above,

Among the angels, in sweet Paradise.

Do not think Silenus, that when I depart,

That the fury of your life will die.

But hear me and remember: behold the same day

Before the Living God, together we will go:

You as a torturer and I, tortured by you,

Each, his deeds, will bring with him.

REFLECTION

St. Mark the ascetic said: "Whoever desires to eliminate future tribulations must bear the present tribulations with joy." Men consider slander as a great tribulation and there are few men who bear this tribulation without grumbling. O beautiful is the fruit of kindly endured tribulation! Tribulation is given to us for good spiritual commerce and we are missing the opportunity thus remaining empty-handed at the market place. Behold, even Athanasius, Basil, Chrysostom, Macarius, Sisoes and thousands of other followers of the Most-slandered One were themselves slandered. But God, Who orders all things for our salvation, had so ordered that on the thorn of slander would sprout fragment roses of glory for all those who are slandered for His Name. Had Stephen not been slandered would he have seen the heavens opened and seen the glory of God in the heavens? And the slander against Joseph the Chaste One, did it not serve to his greater glory?

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the miraculous fishing in the deep: "But when He had ceased speaking, He said to Simon, ' Put out into the deep and lower your nets for a catch' " ( St. Luke 5:4 ):

1. How the apostles went out into the deep and, with the blessing of the Lord, caught an abundance of fish;

2. How I am empty and hungry while I stand in the shallow [physical] senses and here fish for power and wisdom;

3. How I should enter into the spiritual depths, with the blessing of the Lord, and there to catch a good catch.

HOMILY

About today's day and tomorrow's day

"Boast not of tomorrow, for you know not what any day may bring forth" (Proverbs 27:1 ).

Brethren, let us not boast of that which is not in our power. The Lord has placed the times and the years under His power and He disposes of them. Only God Himself alone knows whether tomorrow's day will number us among the living or the dead. Some have died on the eve of their marriage; again, others have descended into the grave on the eve of their coronation with a royal diadem. Therefore, let no one say that tomorrow will be for me the happiest day of my life; tomorrow, I enter into marriage! Or, tomorrow I will be crowned with a royal diadem! Or, tomorrow I am going to a great feast! Or, tomorrow a great gain is coming to me! O, let no one speak of the happiness of tomorrow's day. Behold, yet this night your soul may depart your body and tomorrow you will find yourself surrounded by black demons in the tollhouses [Mitarstvo]! And yet, even this night, a man can be separated from his relatives and friends, from wealth and honor, from the sun and the stars and find himself in a totally unknown company, in an unseen place and at an unexpected judgment.

Instead of boasting of tomorrow's day, it would be better to pray to God to "Give us this day our daily bread." Perhaps today's day may be our last day on earth. That is why it is better to spend this day in repentance for all our past days on earth rather than vainly fantasizing about tomorrow's day, about the day which perhaps will not dawn for us. Vain fantasizing about tomorrow's day cannot bring us any good, but repentance for one day with tears can save us from eternal fire.

O righteous Lord, burn up the insane vanity that is in us.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. VENERABLE DAVID

David was born in Thessalonica. At first, he lived a life of asceticism in the proximity of Thessalonica in a hut built beneath an almond tree. Later, he continued his asceticism in Thessaly. So much did he purify himself by fasting, prayer and all-night vigils that he was made worthy to receive great grace from God. Once he took live coals in his hand, placed incense on the coals and censed the emperor without any injury to his hand. Seeing this, the emperor bowed down to the ground before him. He amazed many people by his numerous miracles. He died peacefully and took up habitation in eternal blessedness in the year 540 A.D.

1. THE FEAST OF THE ICON OF TIKHVIN [TICHVINE]

This icon of the Holy Birth-giver of God [the Theotokos] was first in Constantinople but in 1383 A.D., seventy years before the fall of Constantinople in 1453 A.D., it suddenly appeared in the sky near the town of Tikhvin in northern Russia. There, where it descended to the ground, a monastic community and church were established. The icon is named after the town of Tikhvin. Countless miracles were wrought from this miraculous icon; especially many of the sick received healing from it.

1. THE FEAST OF THE HOLY ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD, THE GUIDE [HODIGITRIA]

The Evangelist Luke himself painted [wrote] this icon on wood. The All-holy Birth-giver of God saw this icon and blessed it. St. Luke donated this icon to the statesman Theophilus for whom he wrote the Acts of the Apostles. From Antioch, this icon was later brought to Jerusalem, from Jerusalem, Empress Eudocia took it and sent it to Constantinople as a gift to the emperor's sister, the pious Pulcheria. Pulcheria placed the icon in the church of Blachernae, her own memorial church. The All-holy Birth-giver of God once appeared to two blind men and led them into the church of Blachernae before her icon and there, restored their sight. Because of this, this icon was called Hodigitria the Guide. When the army of the Persian King Chozroes and the Scythian King Kagan attacked Constantinople, Patriarch Sergius brought this icon out to the ramparts of the city and processed with it around the ramparts. The All-holy Birth-giver of God then saved the Christians from the non-Christians. The armies of the adversaries became confused, the sea became agitated, the boats sank and the enemies who remained alive fled. From that time, the commemoration of this miracle of the All-holy Birth-giver of God was instituted on the fifth Sunday of the Honorable Fast Season [Lent] by chanting the Akathist. During the time of iconoclasm, this icon was brought to the monastery of the Pantocrator and there it was sealed in a wall and a votive light was left there to burn in front of it. As it was sealed, so it was later found.

HYMN OF PRAISE

THE FEAST OF THE ICON OF THE BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD [THEOTOKOS] OF LYDDA OR OF ROME

The icon of the Mother of God of Lydda

Patriarch Herman, a prisoner for the Faith,

From Constantinople, sent to the Pope

When the east suffered for icons.

The icon upon the water set out,

Faster than the boats that sail the sea,

Lighter than water and of the Zypher,

Atop the waves, water it touches not.

For a long time, the icon in Rome remained

Much time, many years,

Until the iconoclastic emperors

From battle with Christ, ceased from fatigue

And when golden peace, the east gilded

The icon of Lydda returned home,

Lighter than water and of the Zypher

Atop the waves, water it touches not.

Two capital cities [Constantinople and Rome], two martyrs,

The power of the Birth-giver of God, recognized,

Power most wonderful, the icon of Lydda

That raises the dead and heals the sick.

REFLECTION

Until his last breath ceaseless repentance is necessary for a Christian. St. Mark the Ascetic says: "Think and you will see that the mystery of devotion in the chosen ones of God was realized through repentance." Repentance, even at the hour of death! This case occurred: an old ascetic and renown spiritual father was dying and he called for a priest to administer Holy Communion to him. Along the way a robber joined the priest and desired to see for himself how a holy man dies. The holy elder peacefully received Holy Communion and peacefully talked with the priest. The robber then wept and said: "Blessed are you! Alas, what kind of death will I be worthy of?" The holy elder suddenly became proud and responded to him: "Be as I am and it will be to you as it is to me!" The robber returned along the road weeping all the time and lamenting over himself and, at that moment, dropped dead. Then the people saw a "fool for Christ" as he weeps over the holy elder and dances and sings over the robber. When he was asked the reason for this, he replied: "By the pride of that one [the elder] he lost all merits; the repentance of this one [the robber] he reaped all the fruits."

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the miraculous healing of the bent over woman: "And behold, there was a woman who for eighteen years had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent over and utterly unable to look upwards" ( St. Luke 13:11 ):

1. How the Lord placed His hands on the deformed woman and the woman straightened up;

2. How my soul is deformed as the woman and is bent over to the ground;

3. How the Lord can put His hand on my soul, i.e., His Holy Spirit and the deformity will immediately be straightened up.

HOMILY

About the fear of the wicked man

"The wicked man flees although no one pursues him; but the just man, like a lion feels sure of himself" (Proverbs 28:1 ).

Wicked men are even afraid of shadows; to them shadows of trees seem as an army. Wherever something rustles, the wicked man thinks; the avenger comes! The trembling of leaves, he hears as a sound of chains; he takes the voices of birds as the shout of hunters who give chase after game; he sees grass as a spy of his evil deed; water, as a witness against him; the sun, as a judge; the stars, as those who taunt him. O my brethren, how many lies are born out of fear? For fear is of sin, sin is of the devil and the devil is the father of all lies.

Fear is the first-fruit of sin. When Adam sinned, he hid from the face of God. And when God cried out, Adam said: "I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid" ( Genesis 3:10 ). Before sin, Adam did not know about fear; neither did he hide from the face of God but, on the contrary, always hurried to encounter God. And as soon as he sinned, he "was afraid."

"But the just man, like a lion feels sure of himself." Without sin, without fear. Without sin, without weakness. The sinless ones are powerful, very powerful and brave, very brave. The righteous ones are strong and fearless. Such are the righteous ones, only the righteous ones.

O Sinless Lord, save us from empty fear but before that, preserve us from sin, the parent of fear.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. SAINT SAMPSON, THE HOSPITABLE ONE WHO RECEIVED STRANGERS

Sampson was born of wealthy and eminent parents in old Rome where he studied all the secular sciences of that time and dedicated himself particularly to the science of medicine. Sampson was compassionate and an unmercenary and administered cures to the sick, both body and soul, counseling everyone to fulfill the requirements of the Christian Faith. Afterward he moved to Constantinople where he lived in a small house from which he dispensed alms, comfort, counsel, hope and medicine to all just as the sun disperses its rays of light and, in general, gave help to the helpless, both spiritually and physically. The patriarch heard of the great virtues of this man and ordained him a priest. At that time, Emperor Justinian the Great became ill and his illness, according to the conviction of all physicians, was incurable. The emperor prayed to God with great fervency and God revealed in a dream to him that Sampson would heal him. And indeed, when the emperor learned of Sampson, he invited him to his court and just as the elder placed his hand on the ailing place, the emperor recovered. When the emperor offered him enormous wealth for this, Sampson thanked him and did not want to accept anything saying to him: "O Emperor, even I had gold and silver and other goods, but I left all for the sake of Christ in order to gain eternal heavenly goods." But when the emperor insisted on doing something for him, holy Sampson implored the emperor to build him a home [hospice] for the poor. In this home Sampson served the poor as a parent serves his children. Mercy toward the poor and the helpless was natural to him. Finally, this saintly man, completely filled with heavenly power and goodness, reposed peacefully on June 27, 530 A.D. and was interred in the church of his relative, the holy martyr Mocius. After his death, Sampson appeared many times to those who called upon him for assistance.

1. SAINT SEVERUS, THE PRESBYTER

Severus lived in central Italy and was a man of extraordinary sanctity. Once he was summoned to hear the confession of and to administer Holy Communion to a man who was dying but because of working in his vineyard, he was late. The news reached him that the sick man had died. Completely frightened as though he had killed the man, Severus began to weep bitterly over the deceased. By his fervent prayer, God restored life to the dead man. Then Severus heard his confession, gave him Holy Communion and prepared him for a Christian departure from this world. On the eighth day, the man again died.

1. SAINT JOANNA, THE MYRRH-BEARER

Joanna was the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward: "Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward" ( St. Luke 8:3 ). When Herod beheaded John the Baptist he disposed of his head in an unclean place. Joanna removed the head of the Baptist and buried it honorably on the Mount of Olives on Herod's estate. Later, during the reign of Constantine the Great, the head of John the Baptist was discovered. St. Joanna is also remembered as being present both at the suffering and at the resurrection of the Lord. She died peacefully.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT SEVERUS

When a dead person came to life, men asked him;

Tell us, where were you and who awakened you?

In the place of fear and horror, I was,

In the company of black ones, wolves and dogs,

In the depths, full of every uncleanness,

In the bottomless pit of darkness, without a single ray.

And when my soul, despair overcame

By the hand, a radiant young man took me.

Then, from the depths, a cool current blew

And against me charged black ones with heads of dogs:

This one, he is ours, he is ours, where are you taking him now?

As a citizen of Hades, do you not recognize him?

To that the angel said: Severus, for him, is praying!

And by the will of God, I am taking him,

In the body once more he must appear,

Behold, to confess him, Severus is seeking!

To confess him and Holy Communion to administer to him.

Armies of evil and recalcitrants, stay away!

Thus the angel said and, with me, flew away

Throughout the cold Hades, throughout the bottomless darkness,

Until at holiness arrived, even to my body.

That is the history of me, the deceased.

O, to be confessed, what a treasure it is

And Communicated to enter into the world of eternity!

REFLECTION

There is no one so stupid as he who cannot see his own sins and cannot see the virtues of others. There is no one so enlightened as he who can see and recognize his own sins and the virtues of others. Those who only see the faults of others and criticize them, St. John Chrysostom equates them to flies that fall on the wounds of others, not in order to heal them but rather to gnaw and to poison them more." God has sent us here for penance [Epitimija]," these are the words of Blessed Theophilus of Kiev (+1853). He who knows and feels that he is here for repentance immerses himself in silence and contemplation about his own sin, which has brought him to repentance. The same Blessed Theophilus further said: "Weep also for the sins of your fellow man; without this not one created human being will be saved." To weep or to proclaim - how is it written my son? With Blessed Theophilus, it is written: "To weep over one's own sins but with Satan, to proclaim the sins of others." About himself, Blessed Theophilus at the point of death left this testament to his brethren: "Remember the odious Theophilus!" This is the testament of the holiest human being in Kiev in the year 1853 A.D.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the miraculous healing of the man ill with dropsy: "And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy" ( St. Luke 14:2 ):

1. How the Lord touched the man with dropsy and he became whole and went home;

2. How my soul - being under the burden of "the love of the body" - under the burden of the illness of dropsy;

3. How only the Lord with one touch can heal the dropsy of my soul and free it of the excessive burden of passionate dampness.

HOMILY

About shelter from on high

"He who trusts in the Lord is safe" (Proverbs 29:25 ).

The righteous man is under the shelter of the Lord, under the shelter from on high. Water will not reach him nor will the flood drown him. Even the flood did not drown Noah for the Lord was the shelter from on high.

However, brethren, there is a flood worse than a watery flood, i.e., the flood of passions. When the passions begin to burn, when they begin to smoke and begin to turn black, when they emit and spread their stench all around, where will man flee, and who will save him? Only under the hand of the Lord, only under His shelter from on high. The flood of passions had pursued David but he fled and found shelter under the hand of the Lord; he saved himself from fire, from smoke and the stench of pursuing passions under the shelter from on high.

A man does not save himself from a flood only God saves. God is the Master of the clouds and the tamer of passions. Indeed, He is the shelter from on high. We flee to Him and hide ourselves under His garment. A dog appears like a lion toward the beggar but, before the feet of his master, the dog appears as an empty sack.

O Lord Most-high, Who sits on the throne on high, You are our shelter on high. Be merciful to us our Creator and extend Your hand that we be lifted up to Your shelter. Save us from the turbulent waters [passions] which rush to drown us.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE HOLY MARTYRS CYRUS AND JOHN

These holy martyrs are celebrated on January 31. On that date, their lives and sufferings are chronicled. June 28 commemorates the translation of their relics from Canopus to Menuthis and the numerous miracles which occurred over their relics. St. Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria, prayed fervently to God to destroy the idolatrous impurity in the town of Menuthis where a pagan temple was located and where the power of the demons ruled. An angel of God appeared to the patriarch and told him that Menuthis would be cleansed of its impurity if he translated the relics of Saints Cyrus and John to that town. The patriarch did this immediately. He translated the relics of the martyrs to Menuthis and built a church there in honor of Saints Cyrus and John. Ammonius, the son of Julian the mayor of Alexandria, was healed of scorfula; a Theodore healed of blindness; Isidore of Menuthis was cured of a decaying disease of the liver; the wife of Theodore from poisoning, a Eugenia of dropsy as well as many other people were healed of various diseases and torments by the relics of these saints. This all occurred in the year 412 A.D.

1. VENERABLE SENNUPHIUS, "THE STANDARD-BEARER"

Sennuphius was a great ascetic and miracle-worker of the Egyptian desert. He was a contemporary of Patriarch Theophilus and Emperor Theodosius the Great. He is called the "Standard-bearer" because by his prayers he once helped Emperor Theodosius to gain a victory over the army of his adversaries. When the emperor summoned Sennuphius to Constantinople, Sennuphius replied that he was unable to do so but sent him his tattered monastic habit and staff. Setting out to battle the emperor donned Sennuphius' monastic habit and carried the staff and returned victorious from battle.

1. VENERABLE PAUL, THE PHYSICIAN

Paul was a Corinthian by birth. Completing his schooling, Paul withdrew to a monastery and was tonsured a monk. He had a difficult struggle with the impure spirit of fornication. However, when with the power of the cross he drove the impure spirit of fornication away from himself, that spirit created a malicious falsehood, i.e., [the spirit] gave approval to a depraved woman to say that she had given birth to a child by Paul. The heretics then dragged him from the monastery, placed the child in his arms and forced him to walk throughout the town for the people to spit on him. The baby was only a few days old. St. Paul prayed fervently to God and said to the people: "Behold, let the child himself say who is his father." The child stretched out its hand from the swaddling clothes and pointed to a blacksmith and said: "That man is my father and not Paul the monk!" The adversaries of Paul became ashamed and God granted great healing powers to Paul so that when he placed his hand on the sick, they became whole. Paul reposed peacefully in old age pleasing God by his life on earth. He lived in the seventh century.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT SENNUPHIUS

Sennuphius the Elder, in the wilderness fasts,

His body passionless, as dry bones,

But from a dry stone, as water one time,

From him flows, the Grace of the Holy Spirit;

In a deadened body, is hidden a spirit powerful

That, the glorious Emperor Theodosius heard,

And, when to set out for war, the emperor wanted,

Invited the Elder Sennuphius to come,

His blessing to give, that the emperor the devil to crush,

Numerous gifts to him, the emperor promised.

The Elder Sennuphius, into tears broke out,

To Emperor Theodosius, a reply he sends,

The roads are too distant, that he cannot come,

And with worries, cannot confuse his prayer,

For every gift, gives thanks to the emperor

And to him [Theodosius], his old monastic habit he sends,

Along with the cassock, an old staff he sends,

This, to the emperor, the gifts from the monk were!

The staff, let the emperor to take, and the habit to don,

And, in battle, every adversary he will defeat.

As a monk attired, the emperor for battle set out

Glorious victor from battle he returned.

The emperor, a pillar of victory in the city erected,

His likeness as a monk on top of the pillar, he placed,

That the faith of Emperor Theodosius, the world remembers

And of Saint Sennuphius, the miraculous power.

REFLECTION

Protestants have rejected the miracles of God through material things. By doing this they thought to despiritualize the Christian Faith however, in doing this, they have impoverished and deformed Christianity. They have rejected the action of God's power through icons, through the relics of the saints, through the Cross and, finally, some of them even through the power of Holy Communion. If they were to follow this erroneous path, they would have to reject even the miracles which have occurred from the living body of the Lord Jesus, for His body was material; the same with the miracles by the touch of the apostles' hands and the hands of the saints, for these hands are also material and not even to mention the rod of Moses, or the vesture of the All-holy Birth-giver of God, of the handkerchief of the Apostle Paul and so forth. In their rejection, Protestants stand in contradiction to the entire ancient Church. Here is one out of thousands and thousands of proofs that God acts through things, especially when He wants to glorify His saints: there was a tall pillar erected in Alexandria bearing the statue of Emperor Theodosius dressed in monastic habit and with a monastic staff in his hand. This pillar served as a memorial of the emperor's victory which he, clad in the monastic habit of St. Sennuphius and with Sennuphius' staff in his hands, carried against his adversaries. When God wills, then even one garment of a saint conquers the powerful armies of unbelievers. Who would dare to limit the actions or the methods of action of the power of the Almighty God?

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the miraculous healing of the ten lepers: "And as He entered into a certain village, there met Him ten men that were lepers which stood afar off" ( St. Luke 17:12 ):

1. How the Lord by the power of His word healed the ten lepers who prayed to Him;

2. How, even I, spiritually and morally leprous, the Lord can heal if I cry out to Him.

HOMILY

About holiness

"But as the One who called you is holy, be you also holy in all your behavior" (1 Peter 1:15 ).

Brethren, holiness is a virtue which encompasses all other virtues. Hence brethren, a saint is a man adorned with all virtues. But if a man is prayerful and is not compassionate, he cannot be called holy. Or, if a man endures but without faith and hope he cannot be numbered among the saints. Or, if a man is very compassionate but without faith in God in truth, such a man cannot be numbered among the saints. A saint is a perfect man such as Adam was in Paradise; or even better, such as the New Adam was, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the Saint above the saints. This is the Sower of holiness on earth and the Nurturer of the saints in history. He called us to the dignity of the saints. He showed us the example of a true saint. He is the prototype of the saints as He is the arch-type of man. A true man, my brethren, does not mean anything else but a saint. A saint and a man, that is one and the same. He showed us what it means to be a man and what it means to be a saint. The Apostle Peter commands us: "Be you also holy in all your [living] behavior!" A saint is not a saint in one aspect of his life but rather in every aspect of his entire life. We must be holy in every work and aspect of our life in order to be numbered among the saints, i.e., among men according to the prototype of the saints and the arch-type of man, the Lord Jesus Christ.

O All-holy Lord, To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.