July 1, 2016. + Orthodox Calendar

Orthodox Calendar 2016

Previous day

Next day

Old Style

July 1

Thursday

New Style

July 14

4th Week after Pentecost. Tone 2.

Fast-free period.

Holy and Wonderworking Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian, martyrs, at Rome (284).

Martyr Potitus, at Naples (2nd c.). St. Peter the Patrician, monk, of Constantinople (854). St. Angelina (Brancovic), despotina of Serbia (16th c).

Sts. Julius and Aaron, protomartyrs of Wales, at Caerleon (ca. 304). St. Gallus, bishop of Clermont (551). St. Eparchius the Recluse, of Angouleme, Aquitaine (581). St. Servanus, apostle of Western Fife, East Scotland (6th c.). St. Basil, founder of the Monastery of the Deep Stream in Cappadocia (10th c.) Martyr Constantine the Wonderworker and those with him, of Cyprus (late 12th c.). St. Leontius, bishop of Radauti in Moldavia (1432). Second translation of the relics of St. John of Rila from Turnovo to Rila (1470). 25 Martyrs in Nicomedia.

Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God
By St. Theophan the Recluse

Thursday. [Rom. 11:13-24; Matt. 11:27-30]

Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. O divine, O dear, O sweetest voice of Thine! Let us all follow the Lord Who calls us! But first we must feel something difficult and burdensome for us. We must feel that we have many sins, and that these sins are grave. From this feeling is born the need to seek relief. Faith will then show us that our only refuge is in the Lord and Saviour, and our steps will direct themselves toward Him. A soul desiring to be saved from sins knows what to say to the Lord: “Take my heavy, sinful burden from me; and I will take on Thy easy yoke.” And it happens like this: the Lord forgives the sins, and the soul begins to walk in His commandments. The commandments are the yoke, and sins are the burden. But comparing the two, the soul finds that the yoke of the commandments is light as a feather, while the burden of sins is heavy as a mountain. Let us not fear readily accepting the Lord’s easy yoke and His light burden. In no other way can we find rest unto our souls.