June 19, 2025. + Orthodox Calendar

Orthodox Calendar 2025

Прп. Паисий Великий

Свт. Иоанн (Максимович), архиепископ Шанхайский и Сан-Францисский

Святитель Иов, патриарх Московский и всея Руси

Old Style

June 19

Wednesday

New Style

July 2

4th Week after Pentecost. Tone 2.
Fast of the Holy Apostles.

Wine and oil allowed.

Holy Apostle Jude, the Brother of the Lord (ca. 80). St. Job, patriarch of Moscow (1607). St. John (Maximovitch), archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco (1966).

Martyr Zosimas the Soldier, at Antioch in Pisidia (ca. 89-117). St. Paisius the Great, of Egypt (5th c.). St. John the Solitary, of Jerusalem (6th c.). St. Barlaam, monk of Shenkursk (1462). St. Paisius the Bulgarian, of Hilandar, Mt. Athos (18th c.).

Holy Myrrh-bearer Mary, mother of Apostle James (1st c.). St. Macarius of Petra (4th c.). St. Romuald, abbot of Camaldoli (Ravenna) (1027). Hieromartyr Asyncretus.

Repose of Schemamonk Theoktist, desert-dweller, of Valaam (1863) and Archbishop Leonty of Chile (1971).

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

Wednesday. [Rom. 11:2-12; Matt. 11:20-26]

The Lord showed many signs in Capernaum, Bethsaida and Chorazin; yet the number of those who believed did not correspond to the power of the signs. That is why He severely denounced these cities and sentenced them: in the Day of Judgment it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and Gomorrah, than for these cities. We need to judge ourselves according to such a model. How many signs has the Lord shown to Russia, saving it from the most powerful enemies and subduing peoples to it! How many treasures has He granted it, pouring out unceasing signs—in the holy relics and miracle-working icons scattered throughout all of Russia! And yet in our days Russians are starting to turn aside from the faith: one group is falling into total unbelief, another group is falling away into Protestantism, a third group is secretly weaving their own beliefs, thinking to combine spiritism and theological ravings with Divine Revelation. Evil is growing; evil beliefs and unbelief are raising their head, while faith and Orthodoxy are weakening. Will we not come to our senses? … We will end up like the French, for instance, or others.… But if that happens, how do you think it will be for us on the judgment day, after God has shown so many mercies to us? O Lord! Have mercy and save Orthodox Rus’ from Thy just and righteous threatening!

Articles

Holy Apostle Jude the Brother of the Lord

Jude came to believe in Christ the Savior as the awaited Messiah, and he followed Him and was chosen as one of the twelve Apostles. Mindful of his sin, the Apostle Jude considered himself unworthy to be called the Lord’s brother, and in his Epistle he calls himself merely the brother of James.

Repose of St Job the Patriarch of Moscow, and All Russia

Saint Job, the first Patriarch of Moscow, was born into the family of pious tradesmen in Staritsa near Tver in the 1530s. His baptismal name was John.

The Veneration of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco: Recollections of a Spiritual Son

Bishop Peter of Cleveland

The author of these recollections, Bishop Peter, was a spiritual son of St. John from his childhood. Bishop Peter was born Pavel Andreyevich Lukianov in San Francisco in 1948. He was tonsured a reader in 1965 by St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco. After studies at the Holy Trinity Seminary at Jordanville, New York, he worked at the headquarters of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in New York City for six years.

St. John of Shanghai—Sternness and Sanctity

St. John of Shanghai

He consciously lived in and operated from this otherworldly realm, formed historically by the Church Fathers, and thus he had a virtual disdain for the pragmatic expectations placed on one by the times and fashions. He was an enemy of fashion and gossip and pharisaical narrow-mindedness...

Life and Miracles of St. John (Maximovich) of Shanghai and San Francisco—One of the Greatest Saints of the 20th Century

Bishop Alexander (Mileant)

"Sanctity is not just a virtue. It is an attainment of such spiritual heights, that the abundance of God's grace which fills the saint overflows on all who associate with him. Great is the saint's state of bliss in which they dwell contemplating the Glory of God. Being filled with love for God and man, they are responsive to man's needs, interceding before God and helping those who turn to them." Thus describing the ancient Saints, Vladyka John simultaneously summarized his own spiritual attitude which made him one of the greatest Saints of our time.

Opening of the Relics, and Glorification of St. John Maximovitch

Archpriest Peter Perekrestov

"He is incorrupt! His relics are incorrupt!"

Uncovering of the Relics of St. John of Shanghai

Archpriest Andrew Phillips

And here we come to the secret of Shanghai theology, the theology of the Church. It is immortal because it comes from the immortal heart, warmed by the love of God through the Holy Spirit.

A Wintertime Pascha: 50th Anniversary of the Repose of St John Maximovitch

This year, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia marks the 50 th anniversary of the repose of the great hierarch, the “Russian Nicholas the Miracle-worker,” our holy father St John of Shanghai and San Francisco. The celebrations began with a visit of a large reliquary containing his relics to Holy Trinity Cathedral in Toronto, Canada. The region has many faithful who venerate his memory .

“I grew up near St. John.”

We do feel his presence in this church. Many people come to ask for help—it is he who brings them here. And the archbishop helps them himself. It is he who should be thanked for this help.

VIDEO: Announcing the 50th Anniversary of the Repose of St. John Maximovitch

The Western American Diocese will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the repose of the great wonderworker St. John Maximovitch June 30-July 2, 2016.

Our Father among the Saints John [Maximovitch], Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco

Our Father among the Saints John (Maximovitch), Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco (1896-1966), was a diocesan bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) who served widely from China to France to the United States.

VIDEO: St. John the Wonderworker

Russian studio "Neophyte" and TV channel "Russia-Culture" have teamed up to produce a number of inspiring videos on a series of holy elders, the first of which concerns St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, the great wonderworking saint, including testimony of those who knew him. The video includes English subtitles.

Living Lessons of Moral Theology

Archbishop Mikhail (Donskov) of Geneva and Western Europe

We children probably understood his holiness. But we didn’t know how to handle it, we didn’t know how to approach him, but we felt it.

Martyr Zosimus the Soldier at Antioch, in Pisidia

The Martyr Zosimus lived in the city of Apollona (Thrace) during the reign of Trajan (89-117), the persecutor of Christians.

St. Paisius the Great of Egypt

St Paisius distinguished himself by his great humility, and performed ascetic deeds of fasting and prayer, but he concealed them from others as far as possible. When the monks asked which virtue is the highest of all, the saint replied, “Those which are done in secret, and about which no one knows.”

St John the Solitary of Jerusalem

Saint John the Hermit was an ascetic in Palestine. He passed his days in fasting and prayer in a cave near Jerusalem.

Venerable Paisius of Hilandar, Bulgaria

Saint Paisius of Hilandar was born in the year 1722 in Bansko into a pious family. One of his brothers, Laurence, was igumen of Hilandar Monastery, and another was noted as a generous benefactor of Orthodox temples and monasteries. St Paisius himself went through his obedience at Rila Monastery.

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