Holy 33 Martyrs of Melitene: Hieron, Hesychius, Nicander, Athanasius, Mamas, Barachius, Callinicus, Theogenes, Nicon, Longinus, Theodore, Valerius, Xanthius, Theodulus, Callimachus, Eugene, Theodochus, Ostrychius, Epiphanius, Maximian, Ducitius, Claudian, Theophilus, Gigantius, Dorotheus, Theodotus, Castrychius, Anicletus, Theomelius, Eutychius, Hilarion, Diodotus, and Amonitus (290). St. Lazarus the Wonderworker, of Mt. Galesion near Ephesus (1054).
Martyr Theodotus of Ancyra (303). Martyrs Melasippus, Cassina, their son Antoninus, and 40 children converted by their martyrdom, at Ancyra (363). St. Zosimas, founder of the Annunciation Monastery at Lake Vorbozoma (1550). Translation of the relics of St. Cyril, founder of Novoezersk Monastery (Novgorod) (1649). Martyrs Auctus, Taurion, and Thessalonica, at Amphipolis in Macedonia. St. Willibrord (Clement), archbishop of Utrecht, apostle of Frisia (739).
New Hieromartyrs Cyril (Smirnov), metropolitan of Kazan, Michael Gusev, archpriest, of Diveyevo, Nicholas Romanovsky, archpriest, of Nikolaev (Kherson) (1937); and Joseph (Petrovykh), metropolitan of Petrograd (1937).
St. Athenodorus, brother of St. Gregory the Wonderworker (3rd c.). Martyr Alexander of Thessalonica (ca. 305). Synaxis of the Unmercenary Healers.
Slaying of Priest Daniel Sysoev of Moscow (2009).
Twenty Fourth Sunday After Pentecost. [Eph. 2:14-22; Luke
8:41-56]
Jairus openly, in front of everyone, fell to
the Saviour’s feet beseeching the Lord to heal his
daughter, and was heard. The Lord, saying nothing,
immediately arose and went to his house. On the way to
Jairus’ house a woman with an issue of blood was
healed, of course also not without prayer on her part,
although she did not appeal in word and did not fall down
at the Lord’s feet—she had a heartfelt prayer
of faith. The Lord heard her and gave her healing. It all
occurred secretly. The woman with the issue of blood
turned to the Lord in her heart; the Lord heard this wail
of the heart and granted her petition. Both this woman and
Jairus had essentially the same prayer, although we can
discern certain degrees in them. Such prayers full of
faith, hope and devotion never go unheard. People
sometimes say, “I pray and pray, but my prayer still
is not heard.” Labour to ascend to a measure of
prayer that cannot be refused, and you will see why it was
not heard. Whether you are in a prayerful situation like
Jairus, or in a simple, ordinary one, like everyone around
him, such as the woman with the issue of blood, when true
prayer arises in your heart it will undoubtedly reach the
Lord and incline Him towards mercy. The question is how to
attain such prayer. Labour, and you will attain it. All
prayer rules have as their object to lift up those who
pray to such a measure of prayer, and all who sensibly
follow this course of prayer reach their goal.