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). New Hieromartyr Nicholas Dmitrov, archpriest, of Zavidovo (Tver) (1938).
Virgin-martyr Martha at Astorga (Spain) (251). 73 Martyrs of Sirmium under Diocletian (303). St. Gorgonia (372), sister of St. Gregory the Theologian. Martyrs Syncrotas, Antigonus, Rutilus, Libius, Senerotas and Rogatianus, at Sirmium (4th c.). St. Florentius, confessor, of Seville (ca. 485). St. Felix, bishop of Brescia (ca. 650). St. Jurmin, prince, of East Anglia (653). St. Mildburga, abbess of Wenlock (715). St. Boswell (Boisil), abbot, of Melrose (ca. 661). 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).
Tuesday.
The suggested readings are about the creation, the
original state of the fall and the promise of salvation in
our Lord Jesus Christ. Take heed and learn! Now is the
time for your re-creation. Embrace the Lord, and He will
give you light which will enlighten your sinful darkness;
He will set a firmament amidst your restless thoughts and
the desires of your sin-loving heart—the good
intention to firmly and steadfastly work for Him. He will
establish dry land and the sea, and will give everything
its place within you. Then you will begin to bring forth
first herb, grass and trees—the first fruits of the
virtues, and then living creatures—perfect spiritual
and God-pleasing works; until at last the image and
likeness of God is restored in you, as you were created in
the beginning (cf. Gen. 1–26). All of this will the
Lord create for you in these six days of spiritual
creation, which is your preparation for Holy
Communion,[1]
if you will pass this time with attention, reverence
and contrition of heart.
[1]
In St. Theophan’s time it was a widespread custom
in Russia for people to spend the first week of Great
Lent preparing to receive Holy Communion on Saturday.
This preparation, in Russian called govenie,
involved fasting, attending Divine Services, reading
prayers (including canons, akathists, etc.), doing
prostrations and engaging in other spiritual
activities, instead of going to work. On the Friday of
the first week of Lent, people would go to confession.
Thus, when St. Theophan mentions the “six days of
spiritual creation,” he refers to these first six
days of Lent which were a preparation for Holy
Communion on St. Theodore’s Saturday.
