ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2021
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Аристовул апостол от 70-ти Свт. Серапион Новгородский
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Old Style
March 16 		Monday
New Style
March 29
3rd Week of Great Lent. Tone 1.
Great Lent.
Monastic rule: xerophagy (bread, uncooked fruits and vegetables).

Cовершается служба, не отмеченная в Типиконе никаким знакомMartyr Sabinas of Hermopolis, Egypt (287). Cовершается служба, не отмеченная в Типиконе никаким знакомMartyr Papas of Lycaonia (305-311).

Apostle Aristobulus of the Seventy, bishop of Britain (1st c.). Hieromartyr Alexander, pope of Rome (119). Martyr Julian of Anazarbus (4th c.). St. Serapion, archbishop of Novgorod (1516). Hieromartyrs Trophimus and Thalus, priests, of Laodicea (300). St. Pimen, fool-for-Christ, enlightener of the Dagestani, and his companion Anthony of Meskhi, Georgia (13th c.). St. Ambrose (Khelaia) the Confessor, catholicos of Georgia (1927). St. Eutropia of Kherson (1968).

St. Abban of Kilabban (Ireland) (650). Martyr Romanus at Parium on the Hellespont. St. Christodulus, wonderworker, of Patmos (1093). New Monk-martyr Malachi of Rhodes, at Jerusalem (1500).

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

Monday (3rd week of Lent).

   The fear of the Lord is to hate evil (Prov. 8:13);[1] and if it hateth evil, it will drive it away; if it drives it away, the soul will be cleansed of it, and will thus appear righteous

before the Lord. This is everything that we now seek with such effort. Thus, restore the fear of God in yourself and maintain it, and you will possess the most powerful means for self-healing. The fear of the Lord will not allow you to sin, and it will force you to do every good thing on every possible occasion. Then you will fulfil the commandment: Depart from evil and do good (Ps. 34:14), which the prophet gives to those seeking true life. How can one attain fear of God? Seek and ye shall find (cf. Matt. 7:7). We cannot say in this regard, “Do this,” or “Do that;” the fear of God is a spiritual feeling, secretly conceived in the heart that is turning to God. Reflection helps, and the effort to have this feeling helps; but in fact it is given from the Lord. Search it out like a gift and it will be given to you. When it is given, then listen to it without contradicting, and it will correct all evil within you.[2]

[1]The Slavonic for Prov. 8:13 reads: The fear of the Lord hateth evil.

[2]“All evil within you”—here St. Theophan refers to the word in the quote from Prov. 8:13, which in the KJV slightly differs from the Slavonic.

Articles

Martyr Sabinus of Egypt

During a persecution of Christians under the emperor Diocletian (284-305), Saint Sabinus and some like-minded companions hid in a remote village.

Martyr Papas of Lyconia

The Holy Martyr Papas lived in the city of Laranda (Asia Minor) during the reign of Maximian (305-311).

Apostle Aristobulus of the Seventy the Bishop of Britain

The Holy Apostle Aristobulus of the Seventy was born on Cyprus. He and his brother, the holy Apostle Barnabas of the Seventy, accompanied the holy Apostle Paul on his journeys.

Hieromartyr Alexander the Pope of Rome

The Hieromartyr Alexander, Bishop of Rome, served for ten years as the archpastor of Rome.

Martyr Julian of Anazarbus

The Hieromartyr Julian of Anazarbus suffered for Christ in Antioch, Syria under the emperor Maximian Galerius (305-311).

Hieromartyrs Trophimus and Thalus, priests, of Laodicea

The Holy Martyrs Trophimus and Thallus, brothers and presbyters of Syria, served in Carian Laodicea.

Venerable Father Pimen, Fool-for-Christ and Enlightener of Dagestan, and His Companion Anton Meskhi, the Censurer of Kings (13th century)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

Saint Pimen the Fool-for-Christ and Anton Meskhi (of Meskheti, in southern Georgia) lived in the 13th century, when the Mongols were regularly invading Georgia. The entire country, and the Church in particular, languished under the yoke of Mongol oppression. The Georgian people were once again faced with a terrible choice: to preserve their temporal flesh or attain spiritual salvation. Most would not yield to the temptation of the enemy and chose instead to die as martyrs for Christ.

Saint Ambrosi the Confessor, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia (†1927)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

In response to one of the Bolshevik interrogations, the patriarch asserted, “Confession of Faith is a spiritual necessity for every nation — persecution increases its necessity. Faith deepens, being contracted and accumulated, and it bursts out with new energy. So it was in the past, and so it will be in our country. Georgia is no exception to this universal law.” St. Ambrosi spoke these remarkable last words to his persecutors: “My soul belongs to God, my heart to my motherland, and with my flesh you may do whatever you wish.” The court sentenced the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia to seven years, nine months and twenty-eight days in prison.
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