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| Old Style
May 4
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Saturday |
New Style
May 17
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| 4th Week after Pascha. Tone 3. |  No fast.
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Virgin-martyr Pelagia of Tarsus in Asia Minor (ca. 290).
Hieromartyr Erasmus, bishop of Formia in Campania, and 20,000 martyrs with him (303). Hieromartyr Olbian, bishop of Anaea, and his disciples, in the province of Asia in Asia Minor (304). Hieromartyr Silvanus of Gaza and with him 40 martyrs (311). Translation of the relics of the Alfanov brothers of Novgorod: Sts. Nicetas, Cyril, Nicephorus, Clement, and Isaac, founders of the Sokolnitzki Monastery (14th c.-15th c.).
Synaxis of the Russian New Martyrs Who Suffered at Butovo.
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Staraya Russa.” (1570)
Martyrs Florian and 40 companions, at Lorsch, Austria (304). Martyrs Aphrodisius, Leontius, Anthony, Melda (Meles), Valerian, Macrobius, and others, at Scythopolis of Palestine (4th c.). St. Monica of Tagaste (mother of Blessed Augustine) (387). St. Ethelred, king of Mercia and monk (716). St. Nicephorus, abbot and founder of Medikion Monastery (813). St. Athanasius, bishop of Corinth (10th c.-11th c.). St. Nicephorus the Hesychast, of Mt. Athos (1340). 4,000–5,000 New Martyrs of Batak (Bulgaria) (1876). New Hieromartyr Dimitry (Lyubimov), archbishop of Gdov (1935). St. Hilary the Wonderworker.
Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God
By St. Theophan the Recluse
Saturday. [Acts 12:1–11; John 8:31–42]
The Lord said: If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed (John 8:36). Here is where freedom is! The mind is bound with bonds of ignorance, delusions, superstitions, and uncertainties; it struggles, but cannot get away from them. Cleave to the Lord and He will enlighten your darkness (cf. Ps. 18:28) and dissolve all the bonds in which your mind languishes. The passions bind the will, and do not give it space in which to act; it struggles, like one bound hand and foot, and cannot get away. But cleave to the Lord and He will give you the strength of Samson, and will dissolve all the bonds of untruth binding you. Constant worries surround the heart and do not give it peace. But cleave to the Lord, and He will soothe you; then, at peace, and seeing clearly everything around you, you will march in the Lord without hindrance or stumbling through the gloom and darkness of this life, to the all-blessed, complete joy and spaciousness of eternity.
Articles
 Hieromartyr Erasmus the Bishop of Formia in CampaniaSaint Erasmus zealously served the Lord from his youth. |
 Hieromartyr Silvanus the Bishop of Gaza, and with him 40 MartyrsSaint Silvanus came from the vicinity of the city of Gaza, and was a soldier. |
 Venerable Nicephorus of Mt. Athos, AlbaniaSaint Nicephorus was the teacher of Saint Gregory Palamas (November 14). |