| Previous day | 
|
Next day |
| Old Style
April 5
|
Saturday |
New Style
April 18
|
|
Passion Week.
Great Lent. |
Translation of the relics of St. Job, patriarch of Moscow (1652). Martyrs Theodulus, reader, and Agathopodes, deacon, and those with them, at Thessalonica (ca. 303).
St. Publius of Egypt, monk (4th c.). Sts. Theonas, Symeon, and Phorbinus, of Egypt (4th c.). St. Mark the Anchorite, of Athens (400). St. Plato the Confessor, abbot, of the Studion (814). St. Theodora, nun, of Thessalonica (892).
Hieromartyr Nicholas Simo, archpriest, of Kronstadt (1931).
Virgin-martyr Theodora and Martyr Didymus the Soldier, of Alexandria (304). Venerable Derfel Gadarn of Wales (6th c.). New Martyr George of New Ephesus (1801). New Martyr Panagiotes of Jerusalem (1820).
Repose of Righteous Symeon Klimych (1837) and Elder Philemon of Valaam and Jordanville (1953). Martyrdom of Optina monastics Hieromonk Basil and Riassaphore-monks Therapontus and Trophimus, on Pascha (1993).
Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God
By St. Theophan the Recluse
Saturday. [Rom 6:3–11; Matt. 28:1–20]
The Lord sleeps bodily in the tomb; in soul He descended into hades and preached salvation to the souls there. The Old Testament saints were not in heaven, although they abode in the consoling faith that they would be brought there as soon as the Promised One came to earth, having lived by faith in Him. There also the Forerunner foretold of His coming. When the Lord descended, all who believed cleaved to Him and were lifted up by Him into heaven. But even that heaven is only the threshold of the true paradise which will be revealed after the general resurrection and judgement., Although all of the new-testament saints also are blessed in heaven, they await an even more perfect bliss in the age to come, with a new heaven and new earth (cf. Rev. 21:1), when God will be all in all (cf. I Cor. 15:28).
Articles
 Venerable Publius of EgyptSaint Publius lived a life of asceticism in the Egyptian desert during the reign of the emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363). |
 Venerable Mark the Anchorite of AthensSaint Mark was born in Athens. He related his life to Abba Serapion who, by the will of God, visited him before his death. |
 St. Plato the Confessor of StudionSaint Plato was born in the year 735 into a pious Christian family of the parents, Sergius and Euphemia. |
 Venerable Theodora of ThessalonicaShe entered a women’s monastery, where she struggled in asceticism and adorned her soul with virtues. |
