Uncovering of the relics of the Holy Martyrs at the gate of Eugenius at Constantinople (395-423).
Martyrs Maurice, his son Photinus, Theodore, and Philip, with 70 soldiers, of Apamea (ca. 305). Sts. Thalassius and Limnaeus, hermits, near Cyrrhus (5th c.). St. Athanasius the Confessor, of Constantinople (821). St. Herman, founder of Stolobny Monastery (Novgorod) (1614).
New Hieromartyr Michael Lisitsyn, priest, of Ust-Labinskaya (1918).
St. Abilius, bishop of Alexandria (98). St. Telesphorus, pope of Rome (127). St. Papius of Hierapolis (2nd c.). St. Titus, bishop of Bostra in Arabia (378). St. Baradates, hermit, near Antioch (469). Holy Nine Children of Kola, Georgia: Guarami, Adarnasi, Bakari, Vache, Bardzini, Dachi, Djuansheri, Ramazi, and Parsmani (6th c.). St. Leontius of Lycia (6th c.). Sts. Babylus and his wife Comnita, of Nicosa (7th c.). St. Peter the Stylite, of Mt. Athos.
Repose of Righteous Gregory (“Golden Grits”) Miroshnikov of Sednev (1855), Schemanun Avramia of Kashin (1855), and Blessed Theoktista Mikhailovna, fool-for-Christ, of Voronezh (1936).
Meat-fare Sunday (35th). [I Cor. 8:8–9:2; Matt.
25:31–46]
The great judgement! The judge cometh in the clouds,
surrounded by a countless multitude of bodiless heavenly
powers. Trumpets sound over all the ends of the earth and
raise up the dead. The risen regiments pour into the
determined place, to the throne of the Judge, having
already a foreboding of what verdict will sound in their
ears, for everyone’s deeds will be written on the
brow of their nature, and their very appearance will
correspond to their deeds and morals. The division of
those on His right hand and those on His left will be
accomplished in and of itself.
At last all has been determined. Deep silence falls.
In another instant, the decisive verdict of the Judge is
heard: to some, “Come,” to the others,
“depart.” “Have mercy on us, O Lord,
have mercy on us! May Thy mercy, O Lord, be on us!”
they shall say, but then it will already be too late to
plead. We need to take the trouble now to wash away the
unfavourable marks written upon our nature. Then, at the
judgment, we would be ready to pour out rivers of tears in
order to wash ourselves; but this would do no good. Let us
weep now, if not rivers of tears, then at least streams;
if not streams, then at least drops. If we cannot find
even this much, then let us become contrite in heart, and
confess our sins to the Lord, begging Him to forgive them,
and promising not to offend Him any more through violation
of His commandments. Then, let us be zealous to faithfully
fulfil this promise.