Virgin-martyr Glyceria and her jailer Martyr Laodicius, at Heraclea (138).
Martyr Alexander of Rome (ca. 284-305). St. Pausicacius, bishop of Synnada (ca. 606). Sts. George the Confessor, his wife Irene and children, of Constantinople (ca. 842). St. Euthymius the New (1028), founder of Iveron Monastery, and his fellow Georgian saints of Mt. Athos: his father John (998), his cousin George (1065), and Gabriel (10th c.). Righteous Virgin Glyceria of Novgorod (1522). Translation of the relics of Hieromartyr Macarius of Kanev, archimandrite, of Ovruch and Pinsk (1688). St. Macarius, abbot, of Glushitsa Monastery (Vologda) (1480).
New Hieromartyrs Basil Sokolov, Christopher Nadezhdin, and Alexander Zaozersky, archpriests, and Macarius (Telegin), hieromonk, and Martyr Sergius Tikhomirov, of Moscow (1922). Synaxis of the 103 New Martyrs of Cherkassy (20th c.).
St. Servatius, first bishop of Maastricht (384). St. Euthymius, patriarch of Jerusalem (1084). Commemoration of the monks of Iveron Monastery martyred by the Latins in the 13th century. St. Euphrosynus of Iveron (18th c.). St. Nicephorus, priest, of the monastery of Ephapsios.
Repose of Ryassaphore-monk John of St. Nilus of Sora Monastery (1863) and Eldress Sepfora of Klykovo (1997).
Thursday. [Acts 14:20–27; John 9:39–10:9]
And Jesus said, For judgment I am
come into this world, that they which see not might see;
and that they which see might be made blind (John
9:39). They which could not see were the simple people who
believed the Lord in simplicity of heart, while they which
saw were the scribes and learned men of that time, who due
to their pride of mind did not believe, and held back the
people. Our clever ones think that they see, and, this is
why they are alienated from that faith in the Lord that
the simple in heart and mind firmly hold to. Therefore,
according to the truth of the Lord they are blind, whereas
the people see. They are exactly like those birds which
can see at night, but not during the day. The truth of
Christ is dark for them, whereas what is contrary to this
truth—falsehood—to them seems clear: here they
are in their element. This is so obvious, but nevertheless
they are ready to ask: Are we blind also? (John
9:40). There is nothing to hide; you are blind. But since
it is your own fault that you are blind, the sin of
blindness and not seeing the light lies on you. You can
see, but you do not want to, because you came to love a
deceptive, yet tempting lie.