| Previous day | 
|
Next day |
| Old Style
February 23
|
Thursday |
New Style
March 8
|
|
3rd Week of Great Lent.
Tone 6.
Great Lent. |
 Monastic rule: xerophagy (bread, uncooked fruits and vegetables).
|
Hieromartyr Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna (167). Finding of the Relics of St. Matrona of Moscow (1998)
St. Alexander, founder of the Monastery of the Unsleeping Ones, Constantinople (ca. 430). Sts. John, Antioch, Antoninus, Moses, Zebinas, Polychronius, Moses (another), and Damian, ascetics near Cyrrhus (5th c.). St. Polycarp, monk, of Bryansk (1620-1621). St. Nazarius, abbot of Valaam Monastery (1809).
New Hieromartyr Michael Edlinsky, archpriest, of Kiev (1938).
St. Gorgonia (372), sister of St. Gregory the Theologian. St. John Theristes (the Harvester) of Stylos in Calabria (11th c.). St. Damian of Esphigmenou, Mt. Athos (1280). St. Cosmas of Zographou, Mt. Athos (1281). St. Moses, monk of White Lake (1480). New Monk-martyr Damian of Philotheou and Kissavos, at Larissa (1568). New Hieromartyr Lazarus of the Peloponnese (ca. 1618). St. Seraphim (Zenobius), schema-metropolitan of Tetritskaro, Georgia, monk of Glinsk Monastery (1985).
Repose of Archimandrite Agapit (Belovidov) of Optina Monastery (1922) and Elder Sabbas (Stavrobouniotes) of Cyprus (1985).
Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God
By St. Theophan the Recluse
Thursday.
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin (Prov. 10:19).[1] Christians who are attentive toward themselves call all the senses the windows of the soul; if these windows are opened, all the inner warmth will leave. But the most spacious doorway that releases this warmth copiously is a tongue given freedom to speak as much and whatever it wants. A multitude of words causes the same degree of harm to attentiveness and inner harmony as is inflicted by all of the senses in total, for words stimulate all the senses, and force a soul not seeing to see, not hearing to hear, not touching to touch. What on the inside is daydreaming is on the outside a multitude of words; but the latter is more ruinous, for it is real and therefore makes a deeper impression. Furthermore, it is closely connected with self-opinion, impudence, and self-wilfulness—those destroyers of inner harmony which are like a tempest, leaving lack of feeling and blindness in their wake. After all this, how can one escape sin in the presence of a multitude of words?!
[1]The Slavonic for Prov. 10:19 reads: In the multitude of words sin cannot be avoided.
Articles
 Hieromartyr Polycarp the Bishop of SmyrnaSaint Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, who was “fruitful in every good work” (Col. 1:10), was born in the first century, and lived in Smyrna in Asia Minor. |
 Venerable John, Ascetic of the Syrian DesertsSaint John, disciple of Saint Limnaeus, lived in Syria in the fifth century, and chose for himself the ascetic struggle of “a shelterless life.” |
 Sts Antiochus and Antoninus, Ascetics of the Syrian DesertsSts Antiochus and Antoninus also lived in asceticism with Saint John. |
 Venerable Moses, Ascetic of the Syrian DesertsSaint Moses lived in Syria in the fifth century. Imitating Saint John, he settled on a high mountain near the village of Rama. |
 Venerable Zebinas, Ascetic of the Syrian DesertsSaint Zebinas lived in Syria during the fifth century. |
 Venerable Polychronius, Ascetic of the Syrian DesertsSaint Polychronius lived in Syria in the fifth century. |
 Venerable Damian, Ascetic of the Syrian DesertsHe withdrew to a monastery named Ieros and lived there in asceticism. |
 Venerable Polycarp of BrianskIn 1591 he was named voevod at Tiumen, but after several years he left the world, settled at Briansk and received monastic tonsure with the name Polycarp. |
 St. Gorgonia, sister of St. Gregory the TheologianSaint Gorgonia, the sister of Saint Gregory the Theologian, was distinguished for her great virtue, piety, meekness, sagacity, and toil. |
 Venerable Damian of Esphigmenou of Mt AthosKnown for his ascetic life and for the miracles he performed, he was truly obedient and kept the injunctions of the Fathers. |
 Monkmartyr Damian of PhilotheouAfter three years, he heard a voice telling him to go forth and teach. He obeyed these instructions, preaching in many areas of Greece. |