Great-martyr Menas of Egypt (304). Martyrs Victor and Stephanida, at Damascus (160). Martyr Vincent of Spain (304). St. Theodore the Confessor, abbot, of the Studion (826). Blessed Maximus of Moscow, fool-for-Christ (1433).
Great-martyr Stephen-Urosh III of Decani (1331) (Серб.). St. Martyrius, founder of Zelenets Monastery (Novgorod) (1603).
Myrrh-streaming “Montreal” Iveron Icon of the Theotokos (1982).
Martyr Drakonas of Arauraka in Armenia (4th c.). St. Martin the Merciful, bishop of Tours (397). St. Bartholomew the Younger, of Rossano, Calabria (ca. 1054). St. Nicodemus the Younger, of Beroea in Macedonia (ca. 1305). Blessed Euthymius and Nestor, of Decani (14th c.). Synaxis of the Saints of Decani. St. Neophytus and St. Stephen Urosica, of Serbia (14th c.). St. Milica, princess of Serbia (Eugenia in schema) (1405).
Repose of Metropolitan Platon (Levshin) of Moscow (1812).
Thursday. [II Thess. 2:13-3:5; Luke 13:1-9]
Pilate mingled the blood of Galileans
with their sacrifices—the Lord said: except ye
repent, ye shall all likewise perish; the tower of
Siloam fell and killed 18 people—the Lord again
said: except ye repent, ye shall all likewise
perish. This gives an understanding that when some
misfortune befalls others, we must not reason about why it
happened, but rather look at ourselves and examine whether
there are any sins on us deserving temporary punishment
for the instruction of others, and hasten to wipe them out
with repentance. Repentance cleanses sin and removes the
cause which attracts a catastrophe. While a person is in
sin, an axe is laid to the root of the tree of his life,
ready to cut it down. It does not cut because it waits for
repentance. Repent and the axe will be taken away, and
your life will flow to its end in the natural order of
things; if you do not repent—expect to be cut down.
What man can know whether he will live to the next year?
The parable about the fruitless fig tree shows that the
Saviour prays that Divine justice spare each sinner in the
hopes that he will repent and bring forth good fruits. But
it sometimes happens that Divine justice no longer hears
the intercessions, and perhaps He will only agree to allow
somebody one more year to remain alive. How do you know,
sinner, that you are not living your last year, your last
month, day and hour?