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October 7
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Thursday |
New Style
October 20
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| 18th Week after Pentecost. Tone 8. |  Fast-free period.
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Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus, in Syria (290-303).
Hieromartyrs Julian, presbyter, Caesarius, deacon, Eusebius, presbyter, and Martyr Felix, at Terracina (268). Virgin-martyr Pelagia of Tarsus in Asia Minor (287). Hieromartyr Polychronius, priest, of Gamphanitus (4th c.). St. Sergius the Obedient, of the Kiev Caves (13th c.). St. Sergius, founder of Nurma Monastery (Vologda), disciple of St. Sergius of Radonezh (1412). Uncovering of the relics of St. Martinian, abbot, of Belozersk (White Lake) (1514). St. Jonah, bishop of Hankou, Manchuria (1925).
New Hieromartyr Valentine Sventsitsky, archpriest, of Moscow (1931).
St. Mark, pope of Rome (336). St. Dubtach, bishop of Armagh (Ireland) (513). Martyr Osyth, princess of Chich (England) (ca. 700). St. Joseph, elder and wonderworker, of Khevi, Georgia (1763). St. John the Hermit and 98 Fathers, of Crete, St. Leontius the governor.
Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God
By St. Theophan the Recluse
Thursday. [Phil. 3:1-8; Luke 7:17-30]
Saint John the Forerunner sends his disciples to ask the Lord: is He the One That should come? Or should they look for another? He did not ask this for himself but for his disciples, for he knew precisely who Jesus Christ was, being informed about this from heaven. The disciples sought an answer to this question not out of empty inquisitiveness, but out of a sincere desire to know the truth. To such as these there is no need to say much; the Lord does not speak, only indicates what had been accomplished by Him at that time. Divine deeds witnessed to His divinity. It was so obvious, that the questioners no longer questioned. This is the way it always is. The power of God lives in the Church; a sincere seeker of the truth immediately feels it and is sure of this truth. This sureness through experience puts an end to all questions and completely soothes. He who does not want to believe, and, having lost his faith, begins to seek in the Church and Christianity not the foundations of faith, but grounds to justify his unbelief, will find no indications satisfactory. He considers his unbelief well-grounded, although its foundations are petty and insignificant. His heart wants this—that is why it is all tolerable.
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