March 30, 2024. + Orthodox Calendar

Orthodox Calendar 2024

Преподобный Иоанн Лествичник

Old Style

March 30

Friday

New Style

April 12

4th Week of Great Lent. Tone 3.
Great Lent.

Monastic rule: xerophagy (bread, uncooked fruits and vegetables).

St. John Climacus of Sinai, author of The Ladder (649). St. Sophronius, bishop of Irkutsk (1771).

Prophet Joad, who dwelt in Bethel (10th c. b.c.). Holy Apostles Sosthenes, Apollos, Cephas, Caesar, and Epaphroditus, of the Seventy (1st c.). St. Eubula, mother of St. Panteleimon (ca. 303). St. John the Silent, of St. Sabbas Monastery (6th c.). St. Zosimas, bishop of Syracuse (ca. 662).

Meeting of the Most Holy Theotokos and St. Elizabeth.

St. John the Hermit, of Cilicia (4th c.). St. John II, patriarch of Jerusalem (5th c.). St. Osburga of Coventry, virgin (ca. 1015). New Hieromartyr Zachariah, metropolitan of Corinth (1684). St. Gabriel, metropolitan of Kishinev and Khotin (Moldova) (1821).

Repose of Blessed Matrona (Mylnikova) the Barefoot, of St. Petersburg (1911).

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 Lord had said unto Abraham: Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee (Gen. 12:1). This is an explicit image for the change of heart which occurs in true believers, when they sincerely take upon themselves their cross, and follow Christ. They leave their father—selfishness, crucifying it through self-denial; they leave their kindred—their personal sinful leanings, passions and habits, crucifying them through the resolution to follow unswervingly and in all things the passion-slaying commandments of the Lord; they leave their country, the entire sinful realm, the world with all of its demands, crucifying it with the resolution to be alien to it—although for this it might be necessary to endure not only loss of property and social status, but even to endure death itself.

Articles

St. John of the Ladder (Climacus)

It is known from St. John's life that he ate what was allowed by the rule of fasting, but within measure. He did not go without sleep at night, although he never slept more than was needed to support his strength for ceaseless vigilance, and so as not to negatively affect his mind. "I did not fast beyond measure," he said of himself, "and I did not conduct intensified night vigil, nor did I sleep on the ground; but I humbled myself…, and the Lord speedily saved me.

Climacus

Archpriest Andrei Tkachev

The Ladder is not the Typikon; it has a different value. There are no prayer rules written there, no defined number of prostrations or amount of food to partake of. More important things are disclosed there, the effect of which is not revealed to the superficial gaze. In fact, the reading of such books is healing from blindness. And we ourselves, no matter how many years the Lord metes out to us, will never understand our inner life with such depth and clarity as did Abbot John of Mt. Sinai.

Translation of the relics of St Sophronius the Bishop of Irkutsk

Saint Sophronius, Bishop of Irkutsk and All Siberia, reposed on March 30, 1771, the second day of Holy Pascha. While they awaited a decision of the Holy Synod concerning the burial, his body remained unburied for six months, and during this time it was not subject to decay.

St. Sophronius the Bishop of Irkutsk

On the night after his monastic tonsure, Saint Sophronius heard a Voice in the Protection church predicting his future service: “When you become bishop, build a church dedicated to All Saints.”

St. Sophronius the Wonderworker, Bishop of Irkutsk and All Siberia

Holy Hierarch Sophrony recognized that his calling to Apostolic service in that land required more than education of the faithful Christians; it also meant that he had to bring to the Faith the idol worshipers, of whom there was a great number in Siberia.

Prophet Joad

Holy Prophet Joad came from Samaria and prophesied during the tenth century before Christ (See 1/3 Kings 13).

Apostle Sosthenes of the Seventy

Saint Sosthenes was head of the Corinthian synagogue before his conversion.

Apostle Apollos of the Seventy

Saint Apollos assisted the Apostle Paul.

Apostle Cephas of the Seventy

According to Tradition, Saint Cephas was Bishop of Iconium.

Apostle Caesar of the Seventy

The Holy Apostles Sosthenes, Apollos, Cephas, Caesar and Epaphroditus of the Seventy:

Apostle Epaphroditus of the Seventy

Saint Epaphroditus was Bishop of Adrianium (Italy).

St. Euboula the Mother of St. Panteleimon

Saint Euboula, Mother of the Great Martyr Panteleimon (July 27), died peacefully around 303, before the martyrdom of her son.

Venerable John the Silent of St Sava’s Monastery

Saint John the Silent Bishop of the city of Colonia, was a model of a good Christian life for his flock.

St. Zosimus the Bishop of Syracuse

Saint Zosimus, Bishop of Syracuse, was born in answer to the fervent prayers of his parents, who were childless for a long time.

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