ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2020
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Илия Пророк Абалацкая икона Божией Матери ''Знамение'' Священномученик Афанасий Брестский
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July 20 		Sunday
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August 2
8th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone 7.
No fast.

Совершается всенощное бдениеHoly and Glorious Prophet Elias (Elijah) (9th c. b.c.).

St. Abramius of Galich, or Chukhloma Lake, disciple of St. Sergius of Radonezh (1375). Uncovering of the relics of Hieromartyr Athanasius, abbot, of Brest-Litovsk (1649). Sts. Savva (1392) and Leontius (late 14th c.), disciples of St. Sergius of Radonezh.

New Martyrs Lydia and soldiers Alexei and Cyril, near Ufa (1928). New Hieromartyrs Archimandrite Tikhon (Krechkov), hieromonks George (Pozharov) and Cosmas (Vyaznikov), and priests John Steblin-Kamensky, Sergius Gortinsky, Theodore Yakovlev, Alexander Arkhangelsky, and George Nikitin, and with them Martyrs Euthymius Grebenshchikov and Peter Vyaznikov, at Voronezh (1930). New Hieromartyr Alexis Znamensky, archpriest, of Vinogradovo (Moscow) (1938).

Righteous Aaron the High Priest, brother of Prophet Moses the God-seer (ca. 1530 b.c.). Sts. Elias, patriarch of Jerusalem (518), and Flavian, patriarch of Antioch (512), confessors. St. Ethelwida, widow of King Alfred the Great (9th c.). Martyr Salome of Jerusalem and Kartli, who suffered under the Persians (13th c.). St. Elias (Chavchavadze) of Georgia (1907). St. Alexis Medvedkov, archpriest, of Ugine, France (1934). Sts. Elias Fondaminsky (1942), Priest Demetrius Klepinine (1944), George Skobtsov (1944), and Nun Maria (Skobtsova) (1945), of Paris.

Repose of Priest Valentine Amphiteatrov of Moscow (1908) and Schemanun Sarah of Borodino (1908).

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

Eighth Sunday After Pentacost. [I Cor. 1:10-18; Matt. 14:14-22]

Before the miraculous filling of the five thousand people, the disciples of the Lord wanted the people to be sent away; but the Lord said to them: They need not depart; give ye them to eat. Let us learn this word, and each time the enemy suggests to us to refuse someone who asks for something, let us say from the face of the Lord: “They need not depart, give ye them to eat”—and let us give whatever we find at hand. The enemy destroys the desire to offer charity, and suggests that maybe the asker is not worthy of being given to; but the Lord did not investigate the worthiness of those sitting there: he served everyone equally, while of course, not everyone was equally devoted to Him; perhaps there were even those who later cried: “crucify him.” Such is God’s overall providence toward us: He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (Matt. 5:45). If only the Lord would help us even a tiny bit to be merciful, as our heavenly Father is merciful (Luke 6:36).

Articles

Saint Elias and the Power of Prayer

Fr. Robert J. Teklinski

The prayers of St. Elias were indeed powerful in their effects for several reasons. First, Elias was a holy man who remained faithful to God in defiance of King Ahab who ordered the Israelites to worship Baal. His faith was so great that the prophet never doubted God's ability or willingness to answer his prayers.

Saint Elias Who?

'Elias" is the Greek form of the Biblical name "Elijah". Hence, "St. Elias" is how we refer to the Holy Prophet, Elijah [the Tishbite]. (Fyi, "St. Eliseus" is the Greek form for the Holy Prophet, Elisha.) The name "Elias" (in Hebrew: "Eliyahu") means: My God is Yhwh (the LORD). The Elijah cycle can be found in the Bible at I Kings 17:1 - 22:54 & II Kings 1:1 - 2:18.

The Holy Prophet Elias

A man who saw God, a wonderworker and zealot for faith in God, Elias was of the tribe of Aaron, from the city of Tishba, whence he was known as "the Tishbite."

Homily on the Day of the Holy Prophet Elias

St. Luke, Archbishop of Crimea

But I want the thought to reach your heart that not only does this kind of prayer, which works manifest miracles seen by everyone, not only the prayer of the Prophet Ellias, and the prayers of the apostles, prophets, and martyrs work miracles. I want you to understand that any prayer will work miracles.l

The Prophet Elijah

Today, the Prophet Elijah cries out to us saying: "The Lord God is alive and He will judge His people according to their deeds. Repent and turn to His Loving kindness and you shall see His wonders."

Holy Martyr Salome the Georgian (13th century)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

The details of the life of St. Salome the Georgian are notpreserved. In the Synaxarion of Jerusalem’s Holy CrossMonastery it is written: “On this day (July 20) we commemoratethe martyrdom of Salome the Georgian, who atfirst yielded to the Persian threats and renounced Christ,but later confessed the true Faith. For this she was beheaded and castinto the flames.”

Saint Ilia the Righteous (†1907)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

Saint Ilia, called the “Uncrowned King of Georgia,” the “Father of the Nation” and “the Righteous,” belonged to the noble family Chavchavadze. He was born on October 27, 1837, in the village of Qvareli in Kakheti. He received his primary education at home: his mother instructed him in reading and writing, prayer and the law of God. When he was eight years old, Ilia was sent to study with Archdeacon Nikoloz Sepashvili of Qvareli. The years he spent there left an indelible impression on this holy man’s life.
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