ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2021
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Святитель Асинкрит, епископ Гирканский
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Old Style
April 8 		Wednesday
New Style
April 21
Sixth Week of Great Lent (Palm Week). Tone 4.
Great Lent.
Monastic rule: xerophagy (bread, uncooked fruits and vegetables).

Cовершается служба, не отмеченная в Типиконе никаким знакомHoly Apostles of the Seventy: Herodion, Agabus, Asyncritus, Rufus, Phlegon, Hermes, and those who suffered with them (1st c.).

Martyr Pausilipus of Thrace (ca. 117-138). St. Celestine, pope of Rome (432). St. Niphont, bishop of Novgorod (1156). St. Rufus the Recluse, of the Kiev Caves (14th c.).

New Hieromartyr Sergius Rodakovsky, archpriest, of Tal (Belorussia) (1933).

Spanish Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (792).

Monk-martyrs Josiah and Joseph, of Mt. Kharasam, Persia (ca. 341). St. Philaret of Seminara, Calabria (ca. 1070). New Martyr John (Koulikas) (1564). New Martyr John Naukliros (“the Navigator”), on Kos (1699).

Repose of Helen Voronova, disciple of Elder Barsanuphius of Optina (1916).

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

Wednesday.

         Cry aloud, says the Lord to the Holy Prophet Isaiah; spare not, convicting the transgressions of My people. What did the people do? They seek me daily, and delight to know my ways.[1] But is there really a sin in this? Indeed, they ought to do this. Yes, they ought to, but the fact is that they do this not as they ought. They hope to be successful in their seeking through fasting alone, not caring for works of righteousness and love. “Fasting is pleasing to Me,” says the Lord, “but only such fasting whereby people, in humbling their body, forgive offences, forgive debts, feed the hungry, bring the outcast out to their house, clothe the naked. When all of this is done together with fasting, then you will succeed in seeking Me and approaching Me; then shall thy light break forth as the morning … the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am.… And the Lord shall guide thee continually (Isa. 58:1–11).


[1] The Slavonic for the second quote reads: they seek Me, take delight in approaching God.

Articles

Apostle Rodion of the Seventy

Saint Rodion, or Herodion (April 8), was a kinsman of the Apostle Paul (Romans 16:11), and left the bishop’s throne at Patras to go to Rome with the Apostle Peter.

Apostle Herodion of the Seventy, and those with Him

Saints Herodion (Rodion), Agabus, Asyncritus, Rufus, Phlegon and Hermes are among the Seventy Apostles, chosen by Christ and sent out by Him to preach.

Apostle Hermas of the Seventy

The Holy Apostle Hermas was a bishop in Philippopolis, Thrace.

Martyr Pausilippus of Heraclea in Thrace

The Holy Martyr Pausilippus suffered under the emperor Hadrian (117-138).

St. Celestine the Pope of Rome

Saint Celestine, Pope of Rome, a zealous champion of Orthodoxy, lived during the reign of the holy Emperor Theodosius the Younger.

St. Niphon the Bishop of Novgorod

Saint Niphon was a monk of the Kiev Caves Monastry, where he struggled in asceticism. In imitation of the Holy Fathers, he uprooted the passions through fasting, vigil, and prayer, and adorned himself with every virtue. He was chosen as Bishop of Novgorod when Bishop John retired to a monastery after twenty-five years of episcopal service.

Venerable Rufus the Obedient of the Kiev Far Caves

Saint Rufus the Obedient, Hermit of the Caves, lived at the Kiev Caves monastery during the fourteenth century.
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