ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2018
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Преподобный Нил Мироточивый Жировицкая икона Божией Матери Нил Сорский
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Old Style
May 7 		Sunday
New Style
May 20
7th Sunday of Pascha. Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council. Tone 6.
No fast.

Совершается служба на шестьCommemoration of the Apparition of the Sign of the Precious Cross over Jerusalem in a.d. 351 (351). Cовершается служба, не отмеченная в Типиконе никаким знакомMartyr Acacius the Centurion, at Byzantium (303).

St. John of Zedazeni in Georgia, and 12 disciples: Sts. Shio of Mgvime, David of Gareji, Anthony of Martqopi, Thaddeus of Urbnisi (or Stepantsminda), Stephen of Khirsa, Isidore of Samtavisi, Michael of Ulumbo, Pyrrhus of Breta, Zeno of Iqalto, Jesse (Ise) of Tsilkani, Joseph of Alaverdi, and Abibus of Nekressi (6th c.). Repose of St. Nilus, founder of Sora Skete (Belozersk) (1508). Uncovering of the relics of St. Nilus the Myrrh-gusher, of Mt. Athos (1815).

'Lyubech' (11th c.) and 'Zhirovits' (1470) Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos.

St. Lydia of Philippi (1st c.). Uncovering of the relics of St. Euthymius the Great (473). St. Domitianus, bishop of Maastricht (560). St. John of Beverley, bishop of York (721). King Bagrat III of Georgia (1014). New Martyr Pachomius the Russian, of Usaki near Philadelphia (1730). St. John the Confessor, of Psycha on the Bosphorus (ca. 825).

Repose of Monk Nicholas (Boris in schema) of Valaam and Pskov (1969).

Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God
By St. Theophan the Recluse

St. Theophan the Recluse

Sunday of the Holy Fathers. [Acts 20:16–18, 28–36; John 17:1–13]

   Arias began to deny the divinity of the Son of God and His oneness in essence with God the Father. The entire Church rose up against him; all believers, from all ends of the earth, unanimously confessed that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Only-Begotten Son of God, true God of true God; begotten, not made, of one essence with the Father. One would think that this unanimity was purely coincidental, but this faith was then tried by fire when the authorities and powerful of this world began to side with the Arians. Neither fire, nor sword, nor persecution could extinguish this faith, and it was immediately found everywhere among everyone, as soon as the pressure from external powers ceased. This means that it makes up the heart of the Church and the essence of her confession. Glory be to the Lord, Who preserves this faith within us! For, as long as it exists, we are still Christians, though we may not live as such. If it ceases to exist, Christianity will end.

Articles

Commemoration of the Apparition of the Sign of the Precious Cross Over Jerusalem, in 351 AD

The Precious Cross appeared in the sky over Jerusalem on the morning of May 7, 351 during the reign of the emperor Constantius, the son of Saint Constantine (May 21).

Martyr Acacius the Centurion at Byzantium

Saint Acacius lived in the third century, and was an officer in the Roman army during the time of Maximian.

Venerable Ioane of Zedazeni and His Twelve Disciples (6th century)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

Our Holy Father Ioane of Zedazeni and his twelve disciples, Abibos of Nekresi, Anton of Martqopi, Davit of Gareji, Zenon of Iqalto, Tadeos of Stepantsminda, Ise of Tsilkani, Ioseb of Alaverdi, Isidore of Samtavisi, Mikael of Ulumbo, Piros of Breti, Stepane of Khirsa, and Shio of Mgvime, were Syrian ascetics and the founding fathers of Georgian monastic life. St. Ioane received his spiritual education in Antioch.

Repose of Venerable Shio of Mgvime (6th century)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

An Antiochian by birth, St. Shio of Mgvime was among the Thirteen Syrian Fathers who preached the Christian Faith in Georgia. His parents were pious nobles who provided their son with a sound education.

Venerable David of the Gareji Monastery, Georgia

Saint David of Gareji first settled in the outskirts of Tbilisi, the new capital of Georgia. Through his wondrous preaching, Saint David converted many fire-worshippers and brought people of many creeds to the Christian Faith.

St. Anthony the Founder of Monasticism in Georgia

Our holy father Anton of Martqopi arrived in Georgia in the 6th century with the rest of the Thirteen Syrian Fathers and settled in Kakheti to preach the Gospel of Christ.

The Saints are Alive! A Homily on the Day of St. Jesse (Ise) of Tsilkani in Georgia

Jesse Dominick

St. Jesse of Tsilkani left his homeland to evangelize the people of Georgia and gave his life in asceticism to Christ and the people of his diocese. His selfless giving is an example for us all to follow in our own situations. St. Jesse gave his life to Christ. Through his prayers and those of all the saints we too can follow Christ, even to our last breath, and say with St. Jesse and our Lord: “Lord, into Thy hands I commit my spirit!”

St. Jesse, Bishop of Tsilkani in Georgia

Saint Jesse of Tsilkani arrived in Georgia in the 6th century with the other Syrian fathers and companions of Saint John of Zedazeni.

Repose of the Venerable Nilus the Abbot of Sora

Saint Nilus of Sora, a great ascetic of the Russian Church, was descended from the Maikov nobility. He accepted monasticism at the monastery of Saint Cyril of White Lake (June 9).

Venerable Nilus the Myrrhgusher of Mt Athos

Saint Nilus the Myrrh-Gusher of Mt Athos was born in Greece, in a village named for St Peter, in the Zakoneia diocese. He was raised by his uncle, the hieromonk Macarius.

Icon of the Mother of God of Lubech

The Lubech Icon of the Mother of God received its name from the city of Lubech, on the outskirts of Chernigov.

Icon of the Mother of God of Zhirovits

The Zhirovits Icon of the Mother of God appeared in the year 1470 in the vicinity of Zhirovits on the Grodnensk frontier.

St. John of Beverley, Bishop of York

Andreas Moran

St. John of Beverley is a great saint of the golden age of saints in England, yet he is not so well known as other saints of that time, even though we have more details about his life than many other saints.

Monkmartyr Pachomius of Mt Athos

The holy New Martyr Pachomius was from Little Russia, and was captured by Moslem Tatars who made him a slave. He was taken to Usaki, near the ancient city of Philadelphia in Asia Minor, where he was sold to a Moslem tanner.
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