ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2020
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Прп. Герасим Болдинский Икона Божией Матери ''Нечаянная Радость'' Преподобный Пафнутий Боровский
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May 1 		Thursday
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May 14
4th Week after Pascha. Tone 3.
No fast.

Cовершается служба, не отмеченная в Типиконе никаким знакомProphet Jeremiah (6th c. b.c.). Совершается служба со славословиемSt. Paphnutius, abbot, of Borovsk (1477).

Hieromartyr Batas, abbot, of Nisibis (4th c.). St. Tamara, queen of Georgia (1213). Hieromartyr Macarius, metropolitan of Kiev (1497). St. Gerasimus, founder of Boldino Monastery (Smolensk) (1554). New Monk-martyrs Euthymius (1814) and Ignatius (1814) and Acacius of Serres (1816), at Constantinople. St. Luke (Shvets), schemamonk of Glinsk Hermitage (1898).

New Hiero-confessor Tryphon of Svyatogorsk Monastery (1939).

“Unexpected Joy” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

St. Brieuc, abbot, in Brittany (ca. 502). Martyr Sigismund, king of Burgundy (524). St. Asaph, bishop of Llanelwy, North Wales (ca. 600). St. Ultan, Irish missionary monk, of Burgh Castle (East Anglia), Fosse, and Peronne (Gaul) (680). New Monk-martyr Romanus of Raqqa (780). St. Michael, ascetic, of Chalcedon (8th c.-9th c.). St. Zosimas, bishop of Kumurdo (15th c.-16th c). St. Panaretus, bishop of Paphos on Cyprus (1791). St. Nicephorus of Chios, monk (1821). New Martyr Maria of Merambelos on Crete (1826). Martyr Philosophus at Alexandria (252). St. Isidora the Fool-for-Christ, of Tabennisi, Egypt (ca. 365).

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

Thursday. [Acts 10:34–43; John 8:12–20]

  I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12) says the Lord. Consequently, he who turns away from the Lord, turns away from the light and is headed into darkness, and therefore he is a true obscurant.[1] You know what the teaching of Christ demands; and look: as soon as someone puts forth thoughts contrary to this teaching, do not fear calling him an obscurant; this is his real name. The Lord teaches that God is one in essence and three in persons: this is the ray of the supernatural light of truth. Whoever preaches the contrary is headed into darkness from the light, and he is an obscurant. The Lord teaches that God has three hypostases; and having created the world by His word, guides it through His providence. This is the Divine light, which illuminates the gloomy paths of our life, but not with an earthly, comforting light. He who preaches contrary to this is heading into dreary darkness—he is an obscurant. The Lord teaches that God created man according to His image and likeness and set him to live in paradise. When man sinned, God righteously drove him out of paradise to live on this earth, which is full of sorrows and want. However, He was not angered with him unto the end, but it was His good will to arrange salvation for him through the death on the cross of the incarnate Only-Begotten Son of God—and this is the spiritual light, illuminating the moral gloom that enshrouds our souls. He who preaches contrary to this is headed into darkness and is an obscurant. The Lord teaches. Believe, and upon receiving the power of grace in the Divine mysteries, live according to His commandments and you will be saved—this is the only way for the light of God to enter us and make us enlightened. He who teaches something to the contrary wants to keep us in darkness and therefore is an obscurant. The Lord teaches: enter in at the strait gate of a strict life of self-denial, and this is the only path to the light. Whoever is travelling the broad path of self-pleasure is headed into darkness, and is an obscurant. The Lord teaches: remember the last things: death, judgment, hell, heaven. This is a light that illuminates our future. Whoever teaches that death is the end of all casts darkness over our fate, and is thus an obscurant. Lovers of the light! Learn by this to distinguish where the darkness is, and depart from it.

[1] During St. Theophan’s time there was already much talk amongst “progressive” people about Christian “obscurantism.” The Orthodox faithful were often accused of “obscuring” the enlightenment of more progressive groups; i.e., they were called reactionaries.

Articles

Prophet Jeremiah

The Holy Prophet Jeremiah, one of the four great Old Testament prophets, was son of the priest Helkiah from the city of Anathoth near Jerusalem, and he lived 600 years before the Birth of Christ, under the Israelite king Josiah and four of his successors.

Venerable Paphnutius the Abbot of Borov

Saint Paphnutius of Borov was born in 1394 in the village of Kudinovo, not far from Borov, and at Baptism he was named Parthenius

Martyr Bata the Persian

The Martyr Bata, a monastic, lived during the fourth century in Persia and labored there in one of the monasteries.

Holy Queen Tamar (†1213)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

In 1166 a daughter, Tamar, was born to King Giorgi III (1155–1184) and Queen Burdukhan of Georgia. The king proclaimed that he would share the throne with his daughter from the day she turned twelve years of age.

Hieromartyr Macarius the Metropolitan of Kiev

On May 1, 1497 Tatars invading Russia killed Metropolitan Macarius of Kiev and All Rus in the village of Strigolovo, at the River Vzhischa, where the saint was conducting divine services.

St. Gerasimus of Boldino

Saint Gerasimus of Boldino, whose secular name was Gregory, was born in 1490 at Pereslav-Zalessk. In his early childhood, he often went to church to attend the divine services.

New Martyr Euthymius of Mt Athos

This holy New Martyr of Christ was born in Demitsana in the Peloponnesos. His parents were Panagiotes and Maria, and he was given the name Eleutherius in Baptism.

New Martyr Ignatius the Martyr of Mt Athos

The holy New Martyr Ignatius was born in the village of Eski Zagora in the Trnovo region of Bulgaria, and was named John in Baptism.

New Martyr Acacius the Martyr of Mt Athos and Seres

The holy New Martyr Acacius was born at Neochorion, Macedonia near Thessalonica in the eighteenth century. The oldest son of Bulgarian peasants, he was named Athanasius at his baptism.

Icon of the Mother of God “the Unexpected joy”

The sinful youth, who was nevertheless devoted to the Theotokos, was praying one day before the icon of the All-Pure Virgin before going out to commit a sin. Suddenly, he saw that wounds appeared on the Lord’s hands, feet, and side, and blood flowed from them.

Holy Hierarch Zosime of Kumurdo (16th century)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

Saint Zosime of Kumurdo lived and labored from the endof the 15th century through the first half of the 16th century.To the world he was known as Zebede. He was raisedby Princess Ketevan, the daughter of King Giorgi VIII(1446–1466).

Venerable Nicephorus of Chios

Saint Nicephorus, the “most luminous star of the Church of Christ,” who delighted the hearts of the faithful “with divinely inspired teachings,” was born around 1750 at Kardamyla on the Greek island of Chios, and his family name was Georgios, or Georgos.
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