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). St. Willibrord (Clement), archbishop of Utrecht, apostle of Frisia (739).
Slaying of Priest Daniel Sysoev of Moscow (2009).
Wednesday. [II Thess. 2:1-12; Luke 12:48-59]
Suppose ye that I am come to give
peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For
from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided,
three against two, and two against three. The father shall
be divided against the son, and the son against the
father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter
against the mother; the mother-in-law against her
daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her
mother-in-law. What is the reason? Those who believe
in the Lord are filled with an entirely different spirit,
contrary to that which reigned in people before His
coming; that is why they cannot get along together. The
pagan world pursued exclusively worldly and earthly
interests. The Jews at least had indications of higher
good things, but towards the end they inclined toward the
path of the pagans. The Lord, coming to the world, showed
people other treasures, outside of the family, outside of
society, and awakened other aspirations. Those who
accepted His teaching naturally established a way of life
different from before, for which they were subjected to
hostility, oppression, and persecutions. This is the
division. The Apostle Paul then said that all desiring to
live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution
(II Tim. 3–12). So it was and so it is. When worldly
and earthly interests begin to prevail in society, then
society looks unfavourably at those who display other,
unearthly strivings; it cannot even understand how it is
possible to be interested in such things. People cannot
stand those who serve as representatives of a way of life
which is not similar to their life. This is happening now
before everyone’s eyes. Is this not a sign of the
times?…
Thursday. [II Thess. 2:13-3:5; Luke 13:1-9]
Pilate mingled the blood of Galileans
with their sacrifices—the Lord said: except ye
repent, ye shall all likewise perish; the tower of
Siloam fell and killed 18 people—the Lord again
said: except ye repent, ye shall all likewise
perish. This gives an understanding that when some
misfortune befalls others, we must not reason about why it
happened, but rather look at ourselves and examine whether
there are any sins on us deserving temporary punishment
for the instruction of others, and hasten to wipe them out
with repentance. Repentance cleanses sin and removes the
cause which attracts a catastrophe. While a person is in
sin, an axe is laid to the root of the tree of his life,
ready to cut it down. It does not cut because it waits for
repentance. Repent and the axe will be taken away, and
your life will flow to its end in the natural order of
things; if you do not repent—expect to be cut down.
What man can know whether he will live to the next year?
The parable about the fruitless fig tree shows that the
Saviour prays that Divine justice spare each sinner in the
hopes that he will repent and bring forth good fruits. But
it sometimes happens that Divine justice no longer hears
the intercessions, and perhaps He will only agree to allow
somebody one more year to remain alive. How do you know,
sinner, that you are not living your last year, your last
month, day and hour?