ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2023
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Сщмч. Иоанн Рижский
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Old Style
September 29
Thursday
New Style
October 12
19th Week after Pentecost. Tone 1.
No fast.

Совершается служба на шестьSt. Cyriacus the Hermit, of Palestine (556).

Martyrs Dada, Gabdelas, and Casdoe, of Persia (4th c.). St. Theophanes the Merciful, of Gaza. St. Cyprian, abbot, of Ustiug (Vologda) (1276). St. Onuphrius the Wonderworker, of Gareji, Georgia (1733). Uncovering of the relics of St. John (Maximovitch), archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco (1993). Synaxis of the Saints of Poltava.

New Hieromartyr John (Pommer), archbishop of Riga (Latvia) (1934).

Holy Martyr Gudelia of Persia (4th c.). 80 Holy Martyrs of Byzantium (364- 378). St. Ludwin (Leudwinus), bishop of Trier (713). Martyrs Tryphon, Trophimus, and Dorymedon, and 150 Martyrs, in Palestine.

Repose of Blessed Anthony Alexeyevich, fool-for-Christ, of Zadonsk (1851), and Archimandrite Gerasim (Schmaltz) of Alaska (1969).

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

Thursday. [Phil 1:20-27; Luke 6:12-19]

   And He continued all night in prayer to God. Here is the foundation and beginning of Christian all-night Vigils. A prayerful heat chases away sleep, and exhilaration of the spirit does not allow one to notice the passing of time. True men of prayer do not notice this; it seems to them that they had just begun to pray, meanwhile day has already appeared. But until one reaches such perfection, he must take on the labour of vigils. Solitaries have borne this and bear it; cenobitic monastics have borne this and bear it; reverent and God-fearing laypeople have borne this and bear it. But though vigil comes with difficulty, its fruit remains in the soul, directly and constantly present—peace of soul and contrition, with weakening and exhaustion of the body. It is a state very valuable for those who are zealous about prospering in the spirit! That is why in places where vigils are established (on Athos), they do not want to give them up. Everyone realizes how difficult it is, but nobody has a desire to rescind this order, for the sake of the profit which the soul receives from vigils. Sleep, more than anything, relaxes and feeds the flesh; vigils more than anything humble it. One who sleeps abundantly is burdened by spiritual deeds and is cold towards them; he who is vigilant is quick in movement, like an antelope, and burns in the spirit. If the flesh must be taught to be good, like a slave, then there is no better way to succeed in this than through frequent vigils. Here the flesh fully feels the power of the spirit over it, and learns to submit to it; while the spirit acquires the habit of reigning over the flesh.

Articles

Venerable Onopre of Gareji, the Wonderworker (18th century)

Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze

Saint Onopre of Gareji (Otar Machutadze in the world) lived and labored in the 18th century. He was a Kartlian aristocrat famed for his wealth, hospitality, and charity.

The Holy Fathers of Davit-Gareji Monastery

Kyrylo Myazha

Over the centuries, a whole host of venerable ascetics and martyrs have shone forth in the Gareji desert.

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.

“I Will Be Even More Frightening for You Dead Than Alive!”

Olga Orlova

On September 29/October 12 the Church honors the memory of the New Hieromartyr John (Pommer). It brings enormous joy to read his letters and sermons, to plunge into his radiant, fierce and mighty struggle while reading his scenes from his Life. But do we arm ourselves with the experience of our New Martyrs and Confessors? Do we pray to them for victory?
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