November 5, 2016. + Orthodox Calendar

Orthodox Calendar 2016

Old Style

November 5

Friday

New Style

November 18

22nd Week after Pentecost. Tone 4.
Fast Day.

Wine and oil allowed.

Martyrs Galacteon and his wife Episteme, at Emesa (253). St. Jonah, archbishop of Novgorod (1470). New Hiero-confessor Tikhon (Bellavin), patriarch of Moscow and all Russia (избрание 1917).

Apostles Patrobus, Hermas, Linus, Gaius, and Philologus, of the Seventy (1st c.). St. Gregory, patriarch of Alexandria (9th c.). St. Hilarion, recluse, of Troekurovo (1853). St. Dositheus, monk of Glinsk Hermitage (1874).

Martyrs Domninus, Timothy, Theophilus, Theotimus, Dorotheus, Eupsychius, Carterius, and Pamphilius, of Palestine (307). St. Cybi, abbot, of Cornwall and Wales (550). St. Odrada, virgin, of Balen (Neth.) (8th c.). St. Gregory of Cassano, Calabria (1002).

Repose of Abbess Anna of Vrachevshnitsa Monastery (Serbia) (1975) and Hieromonk Raphael (Ogorodnikov) of Porkhov (Pskov) (1988).

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

Friday. [I Thess. 5:9-13, 24-28; Luke 12:2-12]

Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. The greatest fear we have is death. But the Lord says that the fear of God should be above the fear of death. When circumstances come together in such a way that it is necessary to either lose life or to act against the suggestions of the fear of God, it is better to die, and not go against the fear of God; because if you go against the fear of God, then upon your bodily death, which is nevertheless inevitable, you will meet another death which is immeasurably worse than all of the most terrible bodily deaths. If we always bore this in mind, the fear of God would not weaken in us, and we would not do any deeds contrary to the fear of God. Suppose that passions rise up. At the moment they rise up, the conscience, motivated by the fear of God, requires one to defy them; a refusal of the demands of the passions seems like a parting with life, a killing of the body. Therefore, when disturbing feelings of this type come back and begin to shake the conscience, hurry to raise up the fear of God and of His judgement and its consequences. Then fear of a most terrible death will chase away the fear of a very weak death, and it will be easy for you to stand firm in your duty and conscience. This is how the wise [Solomon’s] saying is fulfilled: Remember thy end and thou shalt not sin unto the ages.

Articles

Repose of St Jonah the Archbishop of Novgorod

Saint Jonah, Archbishop of Novgorod, in the world named John, was left orphaned early in life and was adopted by a certain pious widow living in Novgorod. She raised the child and sent him to school.

On St. John Climacus, and the Miraculous Revelation of Patriarch Tikhon's Relics

Archimandrite John (Krestiankin)

The Patriarch was the spiritual leader of the Russian people during a very difficult time. He continues to be so during our difficult time in Russia—a time of schism, separation, and falls. The Church's duty in such trials is to inspire and unite the people for the sake of saving their native land, faith, and truth, serving for unification.

A Dream: About my vision of Patriarch Tikhon

Metropolitan Benjamin (Fedchenkov)

“So, only now,” a thought struck me, “now something can be said to them, now they are capable of hearing it, for their souls have melted. But there in the hut there could be no thought of teaching.” I understood that we must first warm the sinful soul, and correct it only afterwards. His Holiness could do this—he greatly loved these sinful but miserable children of his. And he warmed them with his love.

A 1923 Interview with Patriarch Tikhon by an American

Patriarch Tikhon's nine years in America were important ones in the affairs of the Orthodox Church there. During this period the episcopal seat was removed from San Francisco to New York. During this period Bishop Tikhon became Archbishiop Tikhon, the first American Orthodox hierarch to bear that title. These years made a deep impression upon the future Patriarch himself, and as will later be pointed out, the knowledge of the life and religious ideals of American people he acquired there have been very influential in later events in Russia. America has no better friend in Russia than Patriarch Tikhon and he seems especially pleased to maintain his connection with Americans and things American.

The Trial of Patriarch Tikhon

Ivan M. Andreev

The supreme spiritual value--religion--was also overthrown. Faith in God was replaced with faith in atheism and materialism. The interests of the whole nation were reduced to the interests of the proletarian and peasant classes. Yet in view of the "backwardness" of the peasant class, the leading rôle was ceded to the proletariat. And since the entire proletariat was en masse also referred to as "comprehending little," the "dictatorship of the proletariat" was transformed into the Dictatorship of the Bolshevik Communist Party.

Saint Patriarch Tikhon - His Missionary Legacy to Orthodox America

Fr. Alexey Young

The key to St. Tikhon's greatness lies in his personality, his character. Prof. Zaichenko recalls: "By nature Bishop Tikhon was kind, responsive and unusually sensitive. In his character he was quiet, merciful, good-natured and always tried to preserve in himself serenity, a serenity which he transmitted to the souls of all those around him."

St. Tikhon of Moscow's Gift to America

Jesse Dominick

St. Tikhon’s Monastery is home to a rich history and a great many “treasures” of Orthodoxy, some known, some relatively unknown, which stand as a testament to the prayers and labors of our American apostle, St. Tikhon, and his continuing heavenly protection.

The Quiet Courage of Patriarch Tikhon

Georgiy Velikanov

Patriarch Tikhon, without a doubt, was a “point of intersection” for all the Russian Church’s modern history. At him intersect all the different paths chosen by hierarchs and simple believers.

“Patriarch Tikhon is one of the greatest universal saints.”

Patriarch Tikhon captained the ship of the Church through the bloody storm of anti-ecclesiastical persecution inspired by the godless leaders of the communist regime, who had seized power in much-suffering Russia.

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