Commemoration of the Apparition of the Sign of the Precious Cross over Jerusalem in a.d. 351 (351). Martyr Acacius the Centurion, at Byzantium (303).
St. John of Zedazeni in Georgia, and 12 disciples: Sts. Shio of Mgvime, David of Gareji, Anthony of Martqopi, Thaddeus of Urbnisi (or Stepantsminda), Stephen of Khirsa, Isidore of Samtavisi, Michael of Ulumbo, Pyrrhus of Breta, Zeno of Iqalto, Jesse (Ise) of Tsilkani, Joseph of Alaverdi, and Abibus of Nekressi (6th c.) (Груз.). Repose of St. Nilus, founder of Sora Skete (Belozersk) (1508). Uncovering of the relics of St. Nilus the Myrrh-gusher, of Mt. Athos (1815).
“Lyubech” (11th c.) and “Zhirovits” (1470) Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos.
St. Lydia of Philippi (1st c.). Uncovering of the relics of St. Euthymius the Great (473). St. Domitianus, bishop of Maastricht (560). St. John of Beverley, bishop of York (721). New Martyr Pachomius the Russian, of Usaki near Philadelphia (1730). St. John the Confessor, of Psycha on the Bosphorus (ca. 825) (Gr. Cal).
Repose of Monk Nicholas (Boris in schema) of Valaam and Pskov (1969).
Friday. [Acts 8:40–9:19; John 6:48–54]
Saint Paul defended the Old Testament
routines so zealously at first, because he was sincerely
certain that it was the unalterable will of God that these
routines remain unchanged. He was not zealous because it
was his fathers’ faith, but because he was zealous
in bringing service to God. In this lay the spirit of his
life—to devote himself to God and direct all his
energy toward things pleasing to Him. Thus, in order to
bring about his conversion, or to make him stand for the
realm of New Testament things rather than the Old
Testament, it was sufficient to tangibly show him that God
no longer wants the Old Testament but rather the New, and
that He has removed all of His good will from the former
and given it to the latter. The Lord’s appearance on
the road accomplished this in him. There it became clear
to him that he was not directing his zeal where he ought,
that he was not pleasing God by acting as he did, but was
going contrary to His will. This vision of the state of
affairs, with the help of God’s grace, immediately
changed his strivings, and he cried out: Lord, what
wilt Thou have me to do? (Acts 9:6). And from that
moment on he directed all of his zeal toward what was
shown to him, and he did not forget this event for his
whole life, but thankfully remembering it, stirred up his
zeal with it—not sparing anything to work for his
Lord and Saviour. This is how all people act who have
sincerely turned to the Lord.