ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2016
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September 2
Thursday
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September 15
13th Week after Pentecost. Tone 3.
Fast-free period.

Cовершается служба, не отмеченная в Типиконе никаким знакомMartyrs Mamas of Caesarea in Cappadocia, and his parents, Theodotus and Rufina (3rd c.) Cовершается служба, не отмеченная в Типиконе никаким знакомSt. John the Faster, patriarch of Constantinople (595). Совершается служба с полиелеемSts. Anthony (1073) Совершается служба с полиелеемand Theodosius (1074), of the Kiev Caves.

3,628 Martyrs at Nicomedia (303-305). Synaxis of the Saints of Saratov.

New Hieromartyrs Barsanuphius (Lebedev), bishop of Kyrillov, and priest John Ivanov, and Martyrs Seraphima (Sulimova), abbess of the Therapontov Convent, and Anatole, Nicholas, Michael, and Philip, all at the St. Cyril of White Lake Monastery (1918). New Hieromartyr Damascene (Tsedrik), bishop of Starodub (1937). New Hieromartyrs Herman (Ryashentsev), bishop of Vyaznikov, and the priest Stephen Yaroshevich (1937).

“Kaluga” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (1748).

Righteous Eleazar, son of Righteous Aaron, and Righteous Phineas (ca. 1400 b.c.). St. Hieu, abbess of Tadcaster (England) (ca. 657).

Repose of Archbishop Vladimir of Kazan (1897).

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

St. Theophan the Recluse

Thursday. [II Cor. 10:7-18; Mark 3:28-35]

   He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness. Does it take long to fall into this terrible sin? Not long at all, for behold the sins of this nature: “great or excessive hope in God’s grace; despair or lack of hope in God’s compassion; contradicting manifest and confirmed truth, and rejection of the Orthodox Christian faith. Some add to this jealousy over spiritual gifts which a close one receives from God; obstinacy in sin and chronic wickedness; carelessness about repentance before departure from this life” (Orthodox Confession part 3, question 38). See how many paths! Begin to walk any of these and it will be difficult to return; it will carry you to a devouring abyss. Opposition to the truth begins with small doubts, arising through evil words or writing. If you leave them without paying attention to them or treating them, they will lead to unbelief and obstinacy in it. People also reach despair unnoticeably: “I will repent,” they say, and then sin. Thus it goes on several times; then, seeing that repentance does not come, they say to themselves, “So let it be, you cannot control yourself,” and then give themselves over to sin in its full power. A chasm of sins gathers; and at the same time they tolerate a chasm of opposition to the obvious calling of God’s grace. When in such a condition a person comes to the thought of improving himself, the multitude of his sins restrains him, while his opposition to grace takes away his boldness to approach the Lord. He then decides, “My guilt is too great to have it be remitted.” This is despair! Beware of the rudiments of unbelief and love of sin, and you will not fall into this chasm.

Articles

On the Canons of St. John the Faster

Saint John IV the Faster, Patriarch of Constantinople (582-595), is famed in the Orthodox Church as the compiler of a penitential nomokanon (i.e. rule for penances), which has come down to us in several distinct versions, but their foundation is one and the same. These are instructions for priests on how to hear the confession of secret sins, whether sins already committed, or merely sins of intent.

St. Anthony of the Kiev Caves

Before his departure, St. Anthony called his monks together and comforted them with the promise that he would always remain with them in spirit and would pray the Lord to bless and protect the community. He also promised that all those who stayed in the monastery in repentance and obedience to the abbot would find salvation. The saint asked that his remains be forever hidden from the eyes of men. His desire was fulfilled. He is said to have been buried in the cave where he reposed, but his relics have never been found. However, multitudes came to pray in his cave, and there, many who were sick found healing.

St. Theodosius of the Kiev Caves

Eighteen years after the Saint's blessed repose, the monastery brethren decided to transfer his relics to the new cathedral church. The abbot, together with monk Nestor the chronicler, went to the cave to dig up the relics and discovered them to be incorrupt. Accompanied by a large crowd of people, the relics were solemnly transferred to the Dormition Cathedral on August 14, 1092. And in 1106 Saint Theodosius was added to the list of canonized saints.
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