St. John of the Ancient Caves in Palestine (8th c.). St. Matrona the Blind, of Moscow (1952).
Martyrs Christopher, Theonas, and Antoninus, at Nicomedia (303). St. George the Confessor, bishop of Antioch in Pisidia (9th c.). St. Tryphon, patriarch of Constantinople (933). Hieromartyr Paphnutius of Jerusalem. St. Nicephorus, abbot, of Katabad. Uncovering of the relics of St. Joachim, founder of Opochka Monastery (Pskov) (1621).
New Hiero-confessor Victor (Ostrovidov), bishop of Glazov (1934).
Hieromartyr Alphege, archbishop of Canterbury (1012). St. Symeon the Barefoot, of Philotheou Monastery, Mt. Athos (1594). New Monk-martyr Agathangelus of Esphigmenou, Mt. Athos, at Smyrna (1819). Martyrs Theodore of Perge in Pamphylia, his mother Philippa, and Dioscorus, Socrates, and Dionysius (2nd c.) (Gr. Cal).
Repose of fool-for-Christ Asenetha of Goritsy (1892) and Hieroschemamonk Alexis of Valaam (1900).
Monday. [Acts 1:12–17, 21–26; John
1:18–28].
When the angel announced the good
tidings of the Lord’s incarnation he said: Hail,
thou that are highly favored! (Luke 1:28);[1]
proclaiming to the shepherds the birth of Christ the
Saviour he also said: behold, I bring you good
tidings of great joy (Luke 2:10). But proclaiming
Lord’s resurrection to the women, the angel only
says: He is not here, but is risen! (Luke 24:6).
He does not add “rejoice,” for joy would
fill their heart on its own, as soon as the assurance
came that the Lord was risen indeed. At that time this
assurance was tangible: the angel prepared it; the Lord
in His appearing completed it. And everyone’s joy
was inexhaustibly full! Now our church, houses and
streets are clothed in the garments of rejoicing, and
everyone is caught up in a general stream of joy. Now
turn your thoughts away from the externals, and
gathering them in your heart, raise up the truth of the
resurrection, in all of its breadth, depth and height;
so that your rejoicing be more than external. Bear out
that spirit of joy, like a spring of bright water,
gushing from depths of the earth.
[1]The
first quote in the Slavonic reads: Rejoice
thou full of grace.