ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2024
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Прп. Максим Исповедник Икона Божией Матери ''Отрада и Утешение'' Преподобный Максим Грек
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January 21
Saturday
New Style
February 3
35th Week after Pentecost. Tone 1.
No fast.

Cовершается служба, не отмеченная в Типиконе никаким знакомSt. Maximus the Confessor (662). Cовершается служба, не отмеченная в Типиконе никаким знакомMartyr Neophytus of Nicaea (303-305). Cовершается служба, не отмеченная в Типиконе никаким знакомMartyrs Eugene, Candidus, Valerian, and Aquila, at Trebizond (3rd c.-4th c.). Cовершается служба, не отмеченная в Типиконе никаким знакомSt. Maximus the Greek, monk, of Russia (1556).

Virgin-martyr Agnes of Rome (ca. 305). Martyr Anastasius, disciple of St. Maximus the Confessor (662). St. Timon, monk, of Nadeyev and Kostroma (1840).

Paramythia” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (807), at Vatopedi (Mt. Athos).

Hieromartyrs Fructuosus, bishop of Catalan (Spain), and with him deacons Augurius and Eulogius (259). St. Zosimas, bishop of Syracuse (662). Synaxis of the Church of Holy Peace by the Sea, Constantinople. St. Callistratus, catholicos-patriarch of Georgia (1952).

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

Saturday. [Col. 1:3-6; Luke 16:10-15]

Ye cannot serve God and mammon. A divided thought and divided heart make a person unfit for anything; for A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8). He either does nothing, or does and redoes; that is, he builds with one hand and destroys with the other. The source of a truly God-pleasing life is a firm resolution to please God in all things. This resolution directs all of a person’s thoughts, desires and feelings toward one thing, and thus uniting his inward [powers], it makes him strong to do deeds, bringing unity into all of his activities and imparting to them a single character. Such deeds are successful and fruitful, because they are full of true life. Where do inertia, immobility and fruitlessness of deeds come from? From inner lifelessness; and inner lifelessness comes from inner division. One single goal is not acknowledged or established as a law of life—deeds are performed haphazardly. Therefore one deed goes in its direction, another goes in another direction, and the edifice of one’s life is never erected. Choose a goal and devote your life to it. The true, main goal is indicated by the God-like nature of man; it is living communication with God. Direct also toward this main goal all personal, scholarly, worldly, civic, commercial, official, and governmental goals. If everyone in society held to this [principle], there would be one general tenor to society, and one spirit would fill everyone.

Monday (33rd). [I Pet. 2:21–3:9; Mark 12:13–17]

 The Apostle now points out to us the hidden man of the heart (I Pet. 3:4) as the object of our most careful concern and care. We are to adorn ourselves through the formation of this man within ourselves. What is this hidden man of the heart? It is that man which forms in the heart when only good dispositions and feelings come to dwell therein. Examine these dispositions and feelings, and you will see the face of the man hidden in the heart. Here are those dispositions! As His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness (II Pet. 1:3), and on your part, giving all diligence, writes Saint Peter, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love (II Pet. 1:5–7). In a similar fashion Saint Paul lists the inner good dispositions of the Christian heart: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Gal. 5:22–23). Also: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering ... and above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts (Col. 3:12–15). Bring together all of these goods into one spiritual body with its various members, and you will see the divinely beautiful face of the hidden man of the heart. You must fervently establish the same in your own heart.

Articles

St. Maximus the Confessor

Saint Maximus the Confessor was born in Constantinople around 580 and raised in a pious Christian family.

Martyr Neophytus of Nicea

The Holy Martyr Neophytus, a native of the city of Nicea in Bithynia, was raised by his parents in strict Christian piety.

The Holy Martyrs Eugene, Candidus, Valerian and Aquila, at Trebizond

The Holy Martyrs Eugene, Candidus, Valerian and Aquila suffered for their faith in Christ during the reign of Diocletian (284-305) and Maximian (305-311), under the regimental commander Lycius.

St. Maximos of Vatopaidi

Archimandrite Ephraim of Vatopedi

We pray that our All-Good Triune God, who “worketh hitherto,” might ever send forth worthy and holy workers, like the great and tireless Saint Maximos, to His vineyard, for the salvation of all. We also pray that God, through the intercessions of this our holy Father, grant His Grace for the preservation of unity of Faith and bonds of love in our One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ.

Venerable Maximus the Greek

Saint Maximus was chosen to go to Moscow, for he had been brought up on secular and ecclesiastical books from his youth. Upon his arrival, he was asked to translate patristic and liturgical books into Slavonic, starting with the Annotated Psalter.

St. Maximus the Greek

Life in prison was difficult for the Venerable one, but amid his sufferings, he also experienced God’s great mercy and kindness: An angel appeared to him and said, “Persevere, O Elder! Through these trials you will avoid eternal suffering.”

Virginmartyr Agnes of Rome

When she refused to enter into marriage with the son of the city official Symphronius, one of his associates revealed to him that Agnes was a Christian.

Martyr Anastasius the Disciple of the Venerable Maximus the Confessor

The Holy Martyr Anastasius was a disciple of Saint Maximus the Confessor, and with him suffered persecution under the Monothelites.

Icon of the Mother of God “Comfort” or “Consolation”

The Vatopedi “Comfort” or “Consolation” Icon of the Mother of God is in the old Vatopedi monastery on Athos, in the church of the Annunciation.

The “Otrada”—Consolation Icon

The Icon known as the “Otrada”, or ‘Consolation”, icon is in the Vatopedi Monastery on Mt. Athos, which had been established during the reign of Constantine the Great.

St. Fructuosis of Tarragona, Spain

Saint Fructuosis lived during the persecution of Valerian and Gallienus in the third century, during the consulship of Amelianus and Bassus.
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