August 1, 2016. + Orthodox Calendar

Orthodox Calendar 2016

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August 1

Sunday

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August 14

8th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone 7.
Начало Успенского поста.

Wine and oil allowed.

Procession of the Precious Wood of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord. Holy Seven Maccabees: Martyrs Abimus, Antonius, Gurias, Eleazar, Eusebonus, Alimus, and Marcellus, their mother Solomonia, and their teacher Eleazar (166 b.c.).

Nine Martyrs of Perge in Pamphylia: Leontius, Attius, Alexander, Cindeus, Minsitheus (Mnesitheus), Cyriacus, Mineon (Menaeus), Catanus, and Eucleus (3rd c.). Commemoration of the Baptism of Rus’ (988). St. Nicholas, Equal-to-the-Apostles, enlightener of Japan (1912).

New Hiero-confessor Alexander (Urodov), archimandrite, of Sanaxar and Seven Lakes Monasteries (1961).

St. Eusebius, bishop of Verceil (Italy) (ca. 371). Martyr Elessa of Cythera (375). Sts. Friardus of Vindumitta (573) and Secundellus, deacon (6th c.), of Gaul. St. Timothy the Wonderworker, bishop of Proconnesus (6th c.). St. Cennydd (Kenneth), monk, of Llangenydd (Wales) (6th. c.). St. Ethelwold, bishop of Winchester (984). Finding of the relics of Bishop Nestor (Zass) of the Aleutians and Alaska (1882).

Repose of Abbess Alexia of Nizhni-Novgorod (1940).

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

Eighth Sunday After Pentacost. [I Cor. 1:10-18; Matt. 14:14-22]

Before the miraculous filling of the five thousand people, the disciples of the Lord wanted the people to be sent away; but the Lord said to them: They need not depart; give ye them to eat. Let us learn this word, and each time the enemy suggests to us to refuse someone who asks for something, let us say from the face of the Lord: “They need not depart, give ye them to eat”—and let us give whatever we find at hand. The enemy destroys the desire to offer charity, and suggests that maybe the asker is not worthy of being given to; but the Lord did not investigate the worthiness of those sitting there: he served everyone equally, while of course, not everyone was equally devoted to Him; perhaps there were even those who later cried: “crucify him.” Such is God’s overall providence toward us: He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (Matt. 5:45). If only the Lord would help us even a tiny bit to be merciful, as our heavenly Father is merciful (Luke 6:36).

Articles

On the feast of the Procession of Honorable Wood of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord

Evgeny Poselyanin

The two feasts of the "Procession of the Honorable Wood of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord" and the celebration of the "All-Merciful Savior Christ God and His Mother the Most Holy Theotokos, Mary" are combined in some menaions, but not all. The two feasts are given equal honor. This gives cause to suppose that these two feasts are not distinct and are essentially one and the same feast, known by two different names. This, however, is a totally wrong assumption. That becomes clear and undoubted if we take a look at the essence and reason for instituting these two different feasts.

The Preaching of the Cross

Fr. Seraphim Holland

Brothers and sisters, today is the Procession of the Cross which we celebrate on the first of August, and also the holy Maccabean martyrs with their teacher Eleazar and their mother Solomonia. St. Paul has two famous phrases that are in one of the epistles we read today—a very misunderstood phrase. Let’s talk about what it really means.

Procession of the Honorable Wood of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord (First of the three “Feasts of the Savior” in August)

Because of the Blessing of Water, this first Feast of the Savior in August is sometimes called ‘Savior of the Water.” There may also be a Blessing of New Honey today, which is why the Feast is also called “Savior of the Honey.” From this day the newly gathered honey is blessed and tasted.