ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2023
Previous day
Свт. Феофил епископ Новгородский Вмч. Димитрий Солунский Прп. Димитрий Басарбовский
Next day
Old Style
October 26
Wednesday
New Style
November 8
23rd Week after Pentecost. Tone 5.
Fast Day.
Wine and oil allowed.

Совершается служба с полиелеемHoly and Glorious Great-martyr Demetrius the Myrrh-gusher, of Thessalonica (306). Commemoration of the Great Earthquake at Constantinople in 740 (740).

Martyr Lupus, slave of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica (306). St. Athanasius of Medikion Monastery (814). St. Theophilus of the Kiev Caves, archbishop of Novgorod (1482). St. Demetrius of Basarabov in Bulgaria (1685). St. Anthony, bishop of Vologda (1588). St. Alexander (Okropiridze), bishop of Guria and Mingrelia, Georgia (1907).

St. Cedd, bishop of Lastingham (664). St. Eata, bishop of Hexham and abbot of Lindisfarne (686). New Martyr Ioasaph, monk, of Mt. Athos, disciple of St. Niphon, patriarch of Constantinople (1536).

Repose of Hieroschemamonk Nilus of Kryuchi (1924), Elder Ignatius the Bulgarian, of Mt. Athos (1927), and Matushka Olga (A’rrsamquq) Michael of Kwethluk, Alaska (1979).

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. [I Thess. 2:1-8; Luke 11:9-13]

   The Lord convinces us to pray with the promise of His hearing, explaining this promise as the soft-heartedness of a natural father, favourably disposed to the petitions of his children. But here He hints at the reason why sometimes our prayers and petitions are not heard or are not fulfilled. A father will not give His children a stone instead of bread, or a serpent instead of a fish. If a natural father does not do this, how much more will the Heavenly Father not do it? And yet our petitions not infrequently are similar to petitions for a serpent and a stone. It seems to us that we are asking for bread and fish; while the Heavenly Father sees that what is requested will be for us a serpent and a stone—and does not give us what we ask for. A father and mother pour out before God heartfelt prayers for their son, that He arrange for him what is best, but in addition they express what they consider to be better for their son, that is, that he be alive, healthy and happy. The Lord hears their prayer and arranges for their son what is best, not according to the understanding of those asking, but as it is in reality for their son: He sends a disease from which their son dies. Those who think that everything ends with the present life will feel that the Lord has not heard them, but rather did the opposite of what they asked, or left the person about whom they pray to his own fate. But those who believe that the current life is only a preparation for the other life have no doubt that the son for whom they prayed fell sick and died precisely because their prayer was heard and because it was better for him to leave here than to remain here. You will say: then why pray? No, you must pray; but in prayers for specific things you must always keep in mind the condition: “if, O Lord, Thou Thyself deem this to be saving.” Saint Isaac the Syrian advises to shorten all prayer to this: “Thou knowest, O Lord, what is needful for me: do unto me according to Thy will.”

Articles

Saint Demetrios the Myrrh-Streamer: A True Martyr

Evagelos Sotiropoulos

A martyr is not one who chooses to die; rather, it is when one involuntarily - but without hesitation - suffers torment at the hands of others because of a public declaration or confession of faith, that they genuinely receive the crown of martyrdom.

Great Martyr Demetrios of Thessalonka

Saint Demetrios, the Great Martyr and Myhrr-Gusher, was born in Thessalonica in 260 A.D. His parents were illustrious people and along with the transitory glory which Demetrios had from his family, he was adorned with imperishable virtues: with prudence, sweetness, humility, justice, and with every noble comeliness of the soul.

The Holy Great Martyr Demetrios of Thessaloniki

St. Nicholai Velimirovich

Knowing what was awaiting him, Demetrius gave all his goods to his faithful servant Lupus to distribute to the poor, and joyfully awaited his imminent suffering for Christ the Lord.An angel of God appeared to him in prison, saying: "Peace be to you, O sufferer of Christ; be brave and be strong!"

The Commemoration of the Great Earthquake at Constantinople and St. Demetrios

Fr. John Bartholomew

This earthquake in Constantinople took place in 740 AD. This was at the time Emperor Leo was destroying icons and the people of Constantinople felt that it was God’s anger that led to this disaster. The believers prayed to St. Demetrios of Thessalonica and the earthquakes ceased.

The love of God walks wounded through the world

Fr. Cyprian Negryanu

Such a death, in which everything, right down to his last movement, is done before Christ, before God, indicates that God was ceaselessly in his heart; it means that in his heart he unceasingly thought about Him; it means that his heart was in love with God and loved His every movement. Every movement and everything that happened with God were for him pain and joy—they were for him everything.

Commemoration of the Great Earthquake at Constantinople

In 740, at the time of the iconoclast emperor Leo the Isaurian, there was a terrible earthquake at Constantinople.

Martyr Lupus

The Martyr Lupus lived at the end of the third century and beginning of the fourth century, and was a faithful servant of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica (October 26).

Venerable Athanasius of Medikion Monastery

Saint Athanasius of Medikion Monastery (+ ca. 814) loved the monastic life and secretly left his parental home, but was forcibly returned by his father.

St. Theophilus of the Kiev Caves and Bishop of Novgorod

Saint Theophilus of the Kiev Caves, Far Caves and Archbishop of Novgorod, was chosen by lot after the death of the holy hierarch Jonah (November 5).

St. Demetrius of Basarabov

Saint Demetrius of Basarabov in Bulgaria lived in the wilderness as an ascetic near the city of Ruschuk, Bulgaria.

Monastic Martyr Joseph of Dionysiou, Mount Athos

He was an iconographer, and he painted the icon of the holy Archangels on the iconostasis of Dionysiou’s main church.
© ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY