ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2024
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Мученики Клавдий, Диодор, Виктор, Викторин, Никифор Икона Божией Матери ''Слово плоть бысть'' Галина мученица
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March 9 		Friday
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March 22
1st Week of Great Lent. Tone 8.
Great Lent.
Monastic rule: xerophagy (bread, uncooked fruits and vegetables).

Совершается служба с полиелеемThe Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste: Cyrion (or Quirio), Candidus, Domnus, Hesychius, Heraclius, Smaragdus, Eunoicus, Valens, Vivianus, Claudius, Priscus, Theodulus, Eutychius, John, Xanthias, Helianus, Sisinius, Angus, Aetius, Flavius, Acacius, Ecdicius, Lysimachus, Alexander, Elias, Gorgonius, Theophilus, Dometian, Gaius, Leontius, Athanasius, Cyril, Sacerdon, Nicholas, Valerius, Philoctimon, Severian, Chudion, Aglaius, and Meliton (ca. 320). Cовершается служба, не отмеченная в Типиконе никаким знакомMartyr Codratus (Quadratus) and with him Martyrs Cyprian, Dionysius, Anectus, Paul, Crescens, and Dionysius (another), at Corinth (258).

Martyr Urpasianus of Nicomedia (ca. 295). St. Caesarius, brother of St. Gregory the Theologian (ca. 369). St. Tarasius the Wonderworker, of Lycaonia. Translation to Vladimir of the relics of Martyr Abraham of the Bulgars on the Volga (1230). St. Jonah, archbishop of Novgorod (1470). St. Theodosius Levitsky, priest, of Balta (Odessa) (1845). St. Dimitra, nun and foundress of the Vvedensk Convent in Kiev (1878).

New Hieromartyrs Mitrophan Buchnoff, archpriest, of Voronezh (1931), and Ioasaph (Shakhov), abbot, of Popovka (Moscow) (1938). New Hieromartyrs Sergius Lebedev, Sergius Tsvetkov, and Alexis Smirnov, archpriests, and Dimitry Glivenko, priest, all of the Moscow region (1938).

“Albazin” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (“The Word Was Made Flesh”) (1666).

St. Philoromus the Confessor, of Galatia (4th c.). St. Pacianus, bishop of Barcelona (390). St. Bosa, bishop of York (705). St. Vitalis of Castronovo (994). New Martyrs (two priests and forty students) of Momisici (Montenegro) (1688).

Repose of Elder Cleopas of Ostrov-Vvedensk Monastery (1778), Schema-abbot Theodosius (Pomortsev) of Optina Monastery (1920), and Schema-archimandrite Theophilus of Kiev (1996).

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.

The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God (Wisdom 3:1). But in whose hand are the souls of sinners? The Saviour said to the apostles that satan seeks to sift them like wheat, that is, he seeks to knock them from the right path, to take them into his hands and do with them what he wants. That is why everyone turning away from the Lord is in the hands of satan, and he sifts them and casts them wherever he desires. Due to this the heads of sinners are constantly spinning, because the enemy, dragging them here and there, does not give them a chance to come to their senses. As soon as the enemy notices that someone is starting to have second thoughts, he starts to shake him even more strongly, so that his head again becomes clouded and his thoughts become scattered.

Friday.

   The Lord scorneth the scorners: but He giveth grace unto the lowly (Prov. 3:34). Particularly remember these words when you go to confession. Nothing like pride binds your tongue to keep it from saying, “I am a sinner.” Humble yourself before the Lord, do not spare yourself, do not fear the face of man. Reveal your shame for it to be washed; show your wounds for them to be healed; tell of all your unrighteousness that you be justified. The more merciless you will be with yourself, the more compassion the Lord will show towards you, and you will leave with a sweet feeling of forgiveness. This is that grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, given from Him to those who humble themselves through sincere confession of their sins.[1]

[1] In Russia people traditionally went to confession on the evening of this first Friday of Great Lent, in preparation for Holy Communion the next day. See the footnote for Tuesday of this week.

Articles

In Memory of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste—A.D. 320

During this time they prepared themselves for the trial of martyrdom. One of them, Cyrion by name, exhorted his fellow soldiers: "God so ordained that we made friends with each other in this temporary life; let us try not to separate even in eternity; just as we have been found plea sing to a mortal king, so let us strive to be worthy of the favor of the immortal King, Christ our God."

Fascinating Facts Behind the Forty Martyrs of Sevaste

Too Incredible to Be True? Are we really supposed to believe that forty men in the prime of life voluntarily undressed to die by freezing? Is this just a legend? Actually, the story is as solid as ancient history gets.

Homily Concerning the Forty Martyrs

St. Gregory of Nyssa

I believe that persons who have undergone many harsh experiences can give us encouragement because the sufferings which they and others have endured are a source of special joy. A shepherd rejoices when he sees his abundant flock gathered together; although his pen is large, he expands it to accommodate a large number of sheep. Similarly, Peter saw a throng gathered about the Lord and exclaimed, Master, the crowd surrounds you and presses upon you (Lk. 8.45).

40 Holy Martyrs of Sebaste

On the following morning, the soldiers were again taken to Agricola. This time the pagan tried flattery. He began to praise their valor, their youth and strength, and once more he urged them to renounce Christ and thereby win themselves the respect and favor of their emperor.

The Holy Forty Martyrs—"Winter Is Harsh, but Paradise Is Sweet!"

According to the tradition about the Holy Forty Martyrs, as they were suffering in the freezing lake, they strengthened themselves and one another by saying “Winter is harsh, but paradise is sweet!” This captures the spirit and essence of Christian martyrdom, which always sees the experiences of this world in the light of the heavenly kingdom.

The 40 Martyrs of Sebaste: Confession through martyrdom

Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi

What were they "suffering at present" from? They were tortured with whatever the devil threw at them, since he is always generating ways to prevent the devout from getting on with their business. He begins with minor internal or external annoyances and reaches even the highest of all evil, death.

40 Holy Martyrs of Sebaste

Martyr Quadratus and those with him at Corinth

Saint Quadratus, despite inhuman suffering, encouraged the others, urging them not to be afraid and to stand firmly for the Faith.

Martyr Urpasianus of Nicomedia

The Holy Martyr Urpasianus suffered in the city of Nicomedia.

St. Caesarius, brother of St. Gregory the Theologian

Saint Caesarius lived for a long time at the court of the emperor Constantius (337-361), and was his friend and chief court physician.

Icon of the Mother of God “The Word was made Flesh”

The Albazin Icon of the Mother of God “the Word made Flesh” is of great religious significance in the Amur River region.
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