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| 17th Week after Pentecost. Tone 7. |  Fast-free period.
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St. Theodora of Alexandria (490). 
Translation of the relics of Sts. Sergius and Herman of Valaam (1542-1550). St. Silouan, elder, of St. Panteleimon Monastery, Mt. Athos (1938).
Martyrs Demetrius, his wife Evanthia, and their son Demetrian, at Skepsis on the Hellespont (1st c.). Martyr Ia of Persia and 9,000 martyrs with her (362-364). St. Euphrosynus the Cook, of Alexandria (9th c.). Martyrs Diodorus, Didymus, and Diomedes, of Laodicea (362-364). Glorification of St. Xenia of St. Petersburg, fool-for-Christ (1978). St. John, abbot, of Svyatogorsk Monastery (1970). Synaxis of the Saints of the Svatogorsk Monastery.
Weeping Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Of Kaplunovka.” (1689)
Martyrs Serapion, Cronides, and Leontius, of Alexandria (237). St. Paphnutius the Confessor, bishop in the Egyptian Thebaid (4th c.). St. Deiniol, abbot and bishop, of Bangor, Wales (584). Holy Martyr Theodora of Vasta in the Peloponnese. St. Elias the Cave-dweller, of Calabria (ca. 960).
Repose of the young Elder Melchizedek of Mzensk (1846).
Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God
By St. Theophan the Recluse
Thursday. [Eph. 4:14-19; Mark 11:27-33]
The Saviour proves that He was sent from heaven using the testimony of John the Forerunner. They were silent, for there was nothing to say to the contrary, yet they did not believe. Another time He proved the same thing through His deeds, and they thought up a new twist: [He casteth out devils] by the prince of the devils (Mt. 9:34, Mk. 3:22). But when this twist was exposed to be completely inappropriate, they again were silent, but nevertheless did not believe. Thus unbelievers never believe no matter what you tell them and how convincingly you prove the truth. They cannot say anything to the contrary, while nevertheless they do not believe. One might say that their mind is paralyzed, since they reason sensibly about other things. Only when the issue touches upon faith do they become confused in their concepts and words. They also become confused when they present their outlooks as a substitute for the tenets of faith given by God. Here their doubt raises such a buttress that it is like a firm cliff. If you hear their entire theory through, you will see that a child could figure out that this is a spider’s web; but they do not see it. O unfathomable blindness! One can explain the obstinacy of unbelievers as their not wanting to believe, but where does this come from? Where does it get such power that it makes a sensible man consciously cling to an illogical form of thoughts? This is darkness. Is it not from the father of darkness?