Monk-martyr Nicon and 199 disciples, in Sicily (251).
Martyrs Philetas the Senator, his wife Lydia, their sons Macedon and Theoprepius, the notary Cronides, and Amphilochius the Captain, in Illyria (117-138). St. Nicon, abbot of the Kiev Caves (1088). Martyr Basil of Mangazeya in Siberia (1600).
New Hieromartyr Elijah (Vyatlin), hieromonk of the Lukianov Monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos (Vladimir) (1938). New Hieroconfessor Sergius (Srebryansky), archimandrite, of Tver (1948).
Martyr Dometius in Phrygia (360-361). St. Bassian, archbishop of Rostov (1481). New Monk-martyr Luke the New, of Adrianople and Mt. Athos, at Mytilene (1802). New Martyr Panagiotis, at Jerusalem (1820). St. Helen, nun of the Florovsk Ascension Convent in Kiev (1834).
Repose of Elder Porphyrius of Glinsk Hermitage (1868).
Wednesday.
Cry aloud, says the Lord to the Holy Prophet
Isaiah; spare not, convicting the transgressions of
My people. What did the people do? They seek me daily,
and delight to know my ways.[1]
But is there really a sin in this? Indeed, they ought
to do this. Yes, they ought to, but the fact is that
they do this not as they ought. They hope to be
successful in their seeking through fasting alone, not
caring for works of righteousness and love.
“Fasting is pleasing to Me,” says the Lord,
“but only such fasting whereby people, in
humbling their body, forgive offences, forgive debts,
feed the hungry, bring the outcast out to their house,
clothe the naked. When all of this is done together
with fasting, then you will succeed in seeking Me and
approaching Me; then shall thy light break forth as
the morning … the glory of the Lord shall be thy
reward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall
answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I
am.… And the Lord shall guide thee
continually (Isa. 58:1–11).
[1]
The Slavonic for the second quote reads: they seek
Me, take delight in approaching God.