The Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.
Repose of St. Macarius the Roman, monastic founder (Novgorod) (1550). St. Stephen, elder, of Vyatka (1890).
Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos “Diasozousa” and “Chajnicke.”
New Hieromartyr Christos, hieromonk, of Ioannina (ca. 1770). New Hieromartyr Paul Szwajko, priest, and New Martyr Joanna, presbytera, of Graboviec (Chelm and Podlasie, Poland) (1943).
Repose of Elder Anthony of Murom (Arsenius in schema) (1851), friend of St. Seraphim of Sarov; Archimandrite Hieron, founder of New Athos (1912), Abbess Rufina of Harbin and Shanghai (1937), and Metropolitan Augustinos (Kantiotis) of Florina (2010).
Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost. [I Cor. 16:13-24; Matt.
21:33-42]
Mary hath chosen that good part
(Luke 10:42). The Dormition of the Mother of God
represents a good end to such a choice. The Saviour
Himself received her soul in His arms at her Dormition.
Many saints were made worthy of the same. In various ways
and degrees, all those who choose that good part meet with
this. At the time this choice is made, the saints foresaw
this end through hope, and even felt it to a certain
degree; but then come labours, struggle and forcing
oneself, shrouding the chosen path. The good end of that
good part remains as a guiding star. It is as a faraway
shining light for a traveller who is overtaken by
darkness. Hope is the stimulator of energy and the
maintainer of patience and constancy in what was begun,
while hope itself is strong through faith. People make
their choice according to faith, and through hope they are
firm in their choice; while through patience they attain
that good end.