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February 1
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Saturday |
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February 14
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| Commemoration of the Dead. Tone 2. |  Fast-free period.
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Forefeast of the Meeting of Our Lord. Martyr Tryphon of Campsada, near Apamea in Syria (250).
Martyrs Perpetua, and the catechumens Saturus, Revocatus, Saturninus, Secundulus, and Felicitas, at Carthage (202-203). St. Peter of Galatia, hermit near Antioch in Syria (429). St. Vendemianus, hermit of Bithynia (ca. 512).
St. Brigid of Kildare (523). St. Seiriol, abbot of Penmon (Anglesey) (6th c.). Martyr Elias the New, of Damascus (779). Sts. David (784), Symeon (843), and George (844), confessors of Mytilene. St. Basil, archbishop of Thessalonica (895). St. Tryphon, bishop of Rostov (1468). New Martyr Anastasius at Nauplion (1655).
Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God
By St. Theophan the Recluse
Saturday (Commemoration of the Dead). [I Thess. 4:13–17; John 5:24–30]
Now the Holy Church directs our attention beyond the borders of our present life, to our fathers and brothers who have passed on from here. The Church hopes that by reminding us of their state (which we ourselves shall not escape), to prepare us to spend Cheese-fare week properly, as well as Great Lent which follows. Let us listen to our mother the Church; and commemorating our fathers and brothers, let us take care to prepare ourselves for our passing over to the other world. Let us bring to mind our sins and mourn them, setting out in the future to keep ourselves pure from any defilement. For nothing unclean will enter the Kingdom of God; and at the judgement, nobody unclean will be justified. After death you cannot expect purification. You will remain as you are when you cross over. You must prepare your cleansing here. Let us hurry, for who can predict how long one will live? Life could be cut off this very hour. How can we appear unclean in the other world? Through what eyes will we look at our fathers and brothers who will meet us? How will we answer their questions: “What is this badness in you? What is this? And what is this?” What shame will cover us! Let us hasten to set right all that is out of order, to arrive at least somewhat tolerable and bearable in the other world.