Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “The Joy of All Who Sorrow” (Moscow) (1688). Martyr Arethas of Omir and 4,299 martyrs with him, including Martyr Syncletica and her two daughters (523). St. Zosima (Verkhovsky), elder, of Siberia (1833).
Blessed Elesbaan, king of Ethiopia (553-555). St. Arethas, recluse, of the Kiev Caves (1190). St. Sisoes of the Kiev Caves (13th c.). St. Theophilus the Silent, of the Kiev Caves (12th c.-13th c.). St. Athanasius, patriarch of Constantinople (1311). St. John, recluse, of the Pskov Caves (1616).
New Hieromartyrs Lawrence (Knyazev), bishop of Balakhnin, and Alexis Porfiriev, archpriest, and with them New Martyr Alexis Neidhardt (1918). New Hieromartyr Arethas (Mitrenin), hieromonk of Valaam (1932).
St. Senoch, abbot, of Tours (Gaul) (576).
Repose of Blessed Eudocia of Ryazan (1890) and Hieroschemamonk Barsanuphius of Valaam (1910).
Monday. [I Thess. 1:1-5; Luke 10:22-24]
No man knoweth…who the Father is, but the Son,
and he to whom the Son will reveal him. The Son was on
the earth and revealed everything necessary for us Himself
and through the Holy Spirit which acted in the apostles.
Consequently, what you find in the Gospels and the
apostolic writings is all you will and can know about the
Father and Godly things. Do not seek more than this, and
do not think to find apart from this anywhere else the
truth about God and God’s plans. What a great
treasure we possess!… Everything has been said
already. Do not rack your brains, just accept with faith
what has been revealed. It has been revealed that God is
one in essence and triune in persons—the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit; accept this with faith and uphold it. It
has been revealed that the thrice-hypostatical God created
all through the word, preserves all in His right hand, and
is providential toward everything; accept this with faith
and uphold it. It has been revealed that we were in a
blessed state and fell, and that for our restoration and
redemption the Son of God, the second person of the Most
Holy Trinity, was incarnate, suffered, died on the cross,
was resurrected and ascended into heaven—accept this
with faith and uphold it. It has been revealed that one
who desires to be saved must believe in the Lord, and
accepting divine grace in the holy mysteries, live, with
its help, according to the Lord’s commandments,
struggling with the passions and lusts, by means of
corresponding spiritual endeavours—accept this with
faith and do it. It has been revealed that whosoever lives
according to God’s direction enters after their
death into bright dwelling places, the pre-beginning of
eternal bliss; while whosoever does not live thus, upon
death will pre-begin to experience the torments of
hell—accept this [revelation] with faith and thus
give yourself understanding, and inspire yourself for good
and spiritual endeavours. Thus accept all with faith and
keep it faithfully. There is no need to rack your brains
over your own invented things. Do not listen to those who
show off their intelligence—they do not know where
they are going.