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February 23
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Friday |
New Style
March 8
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| Cheese-fare Week—no meat; fish and dairy allowed. Tone 7. |  Cheese-fare Week—no meat.
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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). St. Seraphim (Zenobius), schema-metropolitan of Tetritskaro, Georgia, monk of Glinsk Monastery (1985).
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).
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
Friday.
So will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing, promises the Lord through the prophet Zechariah (Zech. 8:7–23). But under what condition? Under the condition that every man will speak the truth to his neighbour, that men will righteously sort out their affairs amongst themselves, that men will not remember wrongs in their hearts against their neighbour, that they will love no false oath, and will love truth and peace. If these conditions are met, says the Lord, they shall be My people, and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness (Zech. 8:8), and His blessing shall spread among them. Then all strangers shall hear and say, “Let us go speedily to them to pray before the Lord, for we have heard that the Lord is with them (cf. Zech. 8:21–3). Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts (Zech. 8:22).
Thus did the high moral purity of the first Christians attract people and nations to the Lord. Those who live always according to the spirit of Christ are, without the use of words, the best preachers of Christ and the most convincing apostles of Christianity.
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. |