St. Chariton the Confessor, abbot, of Palestine (350). Sts. Cyril, schemamonk, and Maria, schemanun, parents of St. Sergius of Radonezh (ca. 1337).
Prophet Baruch (6th c. b.c.). Martyrs Alexander, Alphius, Zosimas, Mark the Shepherd, Nicon, Neon, Heliodorus, and 24 others, in Pisidia and Phrygia (4th c.). Martyr Wenceslaus (Vyacheslav), prince of the Czechs (935). St. Chariton, abbot of Syandema Monastery (Vologda) (1509). St. Herodion, founder of Iloezersk Monastery (Belozersk) (1541). Synaxis of the Holy Fathers of Kiev whose relics lie in the Near Caves of St. Anthony.
New Hieromartyr Hilarion (Gromov), hieromonk, of Petushki (Vladimir), and New Martyr Michaela (Ivanova), schemanun, of Aksinyino (Moscow) (1937).
St. Faustus, bishop of Riez (495). St. Alkison, bishop of Nicopolis (Preveza) in Epirus (561). Hieromartyr Annemund, archbishop of Lyons (658). St. Leoba, abbess of Tauberbischofsheim, English missionary to Germany (779). St. Auxentius the Alaman, wonderworker, of Cyprus (12th c.). Martyr Eustace of Rome. Translation of the relics of St. Neophytus the Recluse, of Cyprus (1214).
Wednesday. [Phil. 1:12-20; Luke 5:33-39]
It is indecent for the children of the
bridechamber to fast while the bridegroom is with them,
said the Lord, and thus pronounced the law that even with
virtues and spiritual endeavours everything has its place
and time. And this is so pressing that an untimely and
inappropriate deed loses its value, either entirely, or in
part. The Lord arranged everything in visible nature with
measure, weight and number; He also wants everything in
the moral realm to be in good form and order. Inner good
form amounts to a combination of every virtue with all
virtues in totality, or a harmony of virtues, so that none
protrude without need, but are all harmonious like voices
in a choir. Outer good form gives each deed its place,
time and other points of contact. When all of this is
properly arranged, it is like a beautiful lady dressed in
beautiful clothes. Virtue which is in good form both on
the inside and outside is decent; it is Christian good
sense that makes it this way, or according to spiritual
elders: it is discernment acquired through experience and
sensible examination of the lives of saints in the light
of the word of God.