ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2022
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Святой равноапостольный царь Константин и равноапостольная царица Елена Икона Божией Матери Владимирская
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Old Style
May 21 		Friday
New Style
June 3
6th Week after Pascha. Tone 5.
Fast Day.
Fish, wine and oil allowed.

Совершается служба с полиелеемMeeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. Совершается служба с полиелеемHoly Equals-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine (337) Совершается служба с полиелеемand Helen, his mother (327). Совершается служба со славословиемSt. Constantine (Yaroslav) (1129). Совершается служба со славословиемand his children Sts. Michael and Theodore, wonderworkers of Murom (12th c.). Uncovering of the relics of St. Andrew Ogorodnikov, fool-for-Christ, of Simbirsk (1998).

St. Cassian the Greek, monk, of Uglich (1504). Synaxis of the Saints of Simbirsk and Karelia. Synaxis of the New Hieromartyrs and Confessors of Ufa. St. Cyril, bishop of Rostov (1262). St. Basil, bishop of Ryazan (1295). Monk-martyr Agapitus, founder of Markushev Monastery (Vologda) (1584).

Hieromartyr Secundus and those with him, in Alexandria (356). St. Hospicius of Trier (581). St. Helen of Decani, Serbia (ca. 1350).

Repose of Elena Pavlova of Chepel, Kharkov (1885) and Elder Isaac of Dionysiou Monastery, Mt. Athos (1932).

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

Friday. [Acts 19:1–8; John 14:1–11]

   If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also (John 14:7). Therefore, deists do not know God, in spite of the fact that they bear His name (Deus means God; from here comes the word deist), and reason eloquently about Him. There is no true God without the Son and without the Holy Spirit. He who believes in God, but does not confess Him as the Father of the Son, does not believe in a god that is the true God, but in some personal invention. The true God gave His Son, gave power to become the sons of God (John 1:12), loves them, and hears each of their prayers, for the sake of the Son. That is why he who has the Son has the Father; and he who does not have the Son, does not have the Father. No one comes to the Father except through the Son, and receives nothing from the Father, except through the Son. Apart from the Son there is no path to the true God; and he who thinks to invent Him is deluded.

Articles

Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

The histories of Moscow and of the icon of Vladimir Mother of God are eternally inseparable. How many times did the Mother of God save the capital city from enemies through the grace of her holy icon? This icon has linked Apostolic times to Byzantium, Kievan Rus’ to Vladimir Rus’, and later to Muscovy, the Third Rome; as it is said, “there will be no Fourth.” The kingdom of Moscow was formed by divine providence and embraced the mystical ties of ancient empires, historical experience and traditions of other Orthodox peoples. The miracle working Vladimir icon became a symbol of unity and succession.

Commemoration of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God and the deliverance of Moscow from the Invasion of Tamerlane

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was painted by the Evangelist Luke on a board from the table at which the Savior ate together with His All-Pure Mother and Righteous Joseph. The Mother of God, upon seeing this image, exclaimed, “Henceforth, all generations shall call Me blessed. The grace of both My Son and Me shall be with this icon.”

Meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God in memory of the Saving of Moscow from the Invasion of Khan Achmed

Emperor Constantine the Great (306–337). The Importance of His Faith in the History of the Church

St. Constantine the Great, Equal to the Apostles, First Christian Emperor of Rome, builder of Constantinople and founder the Byzantine Empire. He is a military victor, effective ruler and glorified saint. There is no doubt that his contribution to world history and that of the Orthodox Church is indeed spectacular.
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