συνοδικός
October 6 / September 23
2018 (7527)
THE CONCEPTION OF THE HONORABLE, GLORIOUS PROPHET, FORERUNNER AND BAPTIST JOHN. ST XANTHIPPA AND POLYXENA (109). VIRGIN-MARTYR IRAIS (RHAIS) OF ALEXANDRIA (308). MARTYRS ANDREW, JOHN, PETER, AND ANTONINUS (886)
• Icon of Theotokos of SLOVENKI (1635) Kostroma
The Slovensk Icon of the Mother of God manifest itself on 23 September 1635 at the village of Slovenka, Kostroma district. A certain hunter while hunting by chance discovered a small rickety church, overgrown with moss. He went inside and saw, that all the church utensils had rotted with time, save only the altar icon of the Mother of God, which was perfectly unharmed. A monastery was afterwards built at this place.
• "HAWAIIAN" Myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon of the Theotokos (2007)
The Miracleworking Hawaiian Myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon of the Theotokos appeared inexplicably giving myrrh in the home of a pious Orthodox Christian couple on Sep. 23 / Oct 6, 2007, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Since it’s manifestation, it has been recognized by the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia as miraculous and genuine. This icon is well known to have cured many pious individuals of cancer, blindness, kidney and liver diseases, chronic pain, and demonic possession. It currently resides at the Russian Orthodox Church in Honolulu, but frequently travels throughout the world bringing forth healings and cures to all who have shown faith and love to Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Most holy Mother.
The Near Caves or the Caves of Saint Anthony (Ukrainian: Ближні печери, Blyzhni pechery; Russian: Ближние пещеры, Blizhnie peschery) are historic caves and a network of tunnels of the medieval cave monastery of Kyiv Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. The Near Caves have a total length of 383 metres and are 5 to 20 metres deep. The Near Caves were founded when in 1057, Saint Varlaam was appointed as the first hegumen (abbot) of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra by Saint Anthony. Monk Anthony withdrew himself from the monastery and later settled on a new hill, where he dug out a new underground cell, now called the Near Caves. The Near Caves contain the underground Church of Saint Anthony, the Church of the Entry of the Mother of God into the Temple, and the Saint Varlaam Church. The caves also have a total of 79 surviving burials, among them being Nestor the Chronicler, the icon artists Alipy and Grigory, the doctor Agapit, the prince-ascetic Nikolai Sviatosha, the holy martyr Kuksha, as well as the remains of the epic hero Ilya Muromets. During the examination of the remains, it was established that Ilya Muromets had died from a stab wound. According to a legend, a force of angels transported him from the place where he had died to the Lavra caverns. The Near Cave's main temple is the Church of the Elevation of the Cross (Khrestovozdvizhenska), which was constructed in the Ukrainian Baroque style from 1700-1704. The church's carved icons of 1769 have survived to this day. From the 19th century, the church served as a burial vault for the Kiev Metropolitens. The old refectory of the church is connected to the brother's cells, a Neoclassical style building with a four-column portico dating from the 1830s. At the foot of the hill stands the Near Cave's belltower, which was designed and constructed by architect Stepan Kovnir in 1760. Also, the headstones of a number of well-known Kievans can be seen in front of the Khrestovozdvizhenska Church, namely, the headstone of the general-governor Aleksandr Bezak, which was designed by architect Mikhail Ikonnikov in 1860).Beneath the Near Caverns, two old draw-wells were recently discovered. According to the legend one of them was dug by Saint Anthony and the other by his best-known disciple, Theodosius of Kiev. Beside the draw-wells, a chapel was built, now known as the Church of the Life-Giving Spring, built in honour of the Icon of the Mother God.
Οἱ Ὁσίες Ξανθίππη καὶ Πολυξένη
• Sisters VMM ALBINA and PAXENTIUS (Paissant) at Paris (3rd c.)
• Holy Martyrs ANDREW 安德列, JOHN 约翰, PETER 彼得 and ANTHONY 安托尼 of Syracuse (308) subjected to savage tortures and put to death in North Africa
Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἀνδρέας ὁ Μάρτυρας
Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης μὲ τὰ δυὸ παιδιὰ του Πέτρο καὶ Ἀντώνιο (ἢ Ἀντωνίνο)
• Martyr LEV Kuntsevich (1877-1918)
• Hosiosmatyr monk GERMOGEN (Aleksandr Bojaryshnev) (1888-1918)
• Hieromartyr IOANN Pankratovich, presbiter, priest (1870-1937)
• Hosiosmatyr ARSENIUS archbishop, abbot (1937)
• Martyr AELFWALD King of Northumbria (788)
• M ANASTASIA Pat. of Budduso, Diocese of Bisarchio, Sardinia
• CISSA Hermit in Northumbria (8th c.) a disciple of St Guthlac at Crowland in England
• COMNAT (Comnata or Coimnathain)
• CONAING (Connich Mic Luachain)
• CONSTANTIUS (6th c.) Sacristan of the ancient church of St Stephen in Ancona in Italy
• Tr.Rel. of ETHELBURGA (Edelburge, Ethel, Ethelburgh, Aedilburh or Aethelburh) 1st Abs. of Monastery at Barking in Essex, England (675)
• Repose of Abs. EUPRAXIA of Old Ladoga Convent, Anchorite (1823)
• Hieromartyr GREGOR Kalamaras, Metropolis of Argos and Nauplia (1821)
Ὁ Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ἐθνοϊερομάρτυρας, Μητροπολίτης Ἄργους
• Glorification of Venerabless HELENA of Frolov Convent in Kiev (1856-1834) graved in the coffin of St Tychon of Zadonsk, her spiritual father
• HERESWITHA (Ereswitha) Matr., Nun at Chelles (680)
• Repose of HIERONYMUS of Solovki, hieroschemamonk (1847)
• Tr.Rel. of HILDELITHA (Hildilid, Hildelith, Hilde, Hildelida or Hildelid) Abs. of Barking in Essex (717)
• Canonization (1977) of Sainted INNOCENT 英诺肯提 (Ivan Popov-Veniaminov) Metropolitan of Moscow, Equal to the Apostles and Enlightener of America and Siberia (1879) // 31 MAR (13 APR) REPOSE // 23 SEP (6 OCT) GLORIF //
• The Conception of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist JOHN 约安 (29) 尊贵荣耀之先知，前驱，施浸礼者圣约安降孕纪念日
Σύλληψις τοῦ Τιμίου Προδρόμου καὶ Βαπτιστοῦ Ἰωάννη
On this day are celebrated God's mercy, His wondrous act and His wisdom: His mercy towards the devout and righteous parents of St John, the aged Zacharias and Elisabeth, who had all their lives begged a child of God; the wonder of the conception of John in Elisabeth's more-than-aged womb; and the wisdom of the dispensation of man's salvation.
• Holy New Martyr JOHN 约翰 of Konitsa (of Albania — the ancient region of Epirus) formerly a Muslim (1814)
Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Νεομάρτυρας ὁ ἐκ Μουσουλμάνων
• Hieromartyr LINUS The first Pope of Rome (79) a disciple of the Apostle Paul, he was one of the Seventy and is mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:21
• Holy New Martyr NICHOLAS 尼科拉 Pantopolos (the Grocer) from Karpenisi (1672) beheaded in Constantinople
Ὁ Ἅγιος Νικόλαος ὁ Νεομάρτυρας ὁ παντοπώλης ἐκ Καρπενησιου
• Sainted PATERNUS (Pair) Bishop of Avranches (563) // APR 16 // SEP 23 //
Born in Poitiers in France, he became a monk at Ansion and later a hermit near Coutances. Eventually he became Bishop of Avranches.
• Holy Virgin Martyress RHAIS (Rais, Iraida, Irais, Herais and Rhais) 伊莱斯 of Alexandria of Egypt, martyred at Antinopolis (308) faced many tortures, and in the end was beheaded by a sword
Ἡ Ἁγία Ραΐς ἡ παρθένος
• VM SOPHIA at Sortino (Sicily)
• Protomartyress TECLA (Theckla, Tegla, Tecla, Teckla, Tekla or Thekla) Equal to the Apostles, Virgin of Isauria or Lycaonia, received her instructions in divine and evangelical knowledge from St Paul, and was eminent for her skill in sacred science, died in Isauria, and was buried at Seleucia (96)
First century convert in Iconium, brought to the faith by the preaching of Saint Paul the Apostle; her family threw her out. She dedicated herself to God, became a spiritual student of Saint Paul, and assisted him in his travels and works. She was thrown to wild animals as a Christian, but survived; she was sentenced to burn at the stake, but managed to escape. In her later years she retired to live as a hermitess. Because of her sufferings for the the faith, she is considered a martyr though she survived the attempts to kill her. She is mentioned the Prayers for the Dying. She was the subject several fantastic apochryphal writings in the early Church. It is purity in soul and body which will make you strong in pain, in temptation, and in the hour of death. I can do all in the One who fortifies me, said Saint Paul. Imitate the purity of this glorious virgin, and take her for your special patroness in your last agony.
• TEGLA (Thecla or Tecla) of Denbighshire and Radnorshire (750)
• THECLA (Thekla) Nun, Fndr. of Church of Chamalières (Puy-de-Dome) in France (9th c.)
• Hieromartyr THEODOSIUS II, Metropolitan of Moldova (1694)
• Tr.Rel. of WULFHILDA (Wilfreda, Wilfrida, Wulfruda, Walftrudis, Wulftrude, Wulfthryth, Wulfhildis, Wulftruda or Wulfrida) Fndr. of Horton Abbey, Abs. at Barking (980)
In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years.
Once when he was serving as priest in his division's turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of [the] Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother's womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord."
Then Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."
And the angel said to him in reply, "I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time."
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute. Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, "No. He will be called John." But they answered her, "There is no one among your relatives who has this name."
So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name," and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God.
Then Zechariah his father, filled with the holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
for he has visited and brought redemption to his people.
He has raised up a horn for our salvation
within the house of David his servant,
even as he promised through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old:
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
to show mercy to our fathers
and to be mindful of his holy covenant,
and of the oath he swore to Abraham our father,
and to grant us that,
rescued from the hand of enemies,
without fear we might worship him
in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our Gods
by which the daybreak from on high will visit us
to shine on those who sit in darkness and death's shadow,
to guide our feet into the path of peace."
THE SAVIOUR’S MINISTRY TO MANKIND. John the Baptist and his witness of our Lord Jesus Christ
(Matt. 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18; John 1:15-31)
The emergence of John the Baptist to preach about and bear testimony to the Lord Jesus Christ, is narrated correspondingly by all the Evangelists, in nearly the same detail. John is the only one that omits certain details described by the others, instead, underlining Christ’s Divinity.
Saint Evangelist Luke gives important information as to the time of John the Baptist’s emergence, together with the time of the emergence of Christ Himself. He writes that this occurred “in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being the tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests” (Luke 3:1-2).
Beginning his narrative on John the Baptist’s emergence, Saint Luke wants to say that at the time, Palestine being part of the Roman Empire, was governed by a tetrarch (ruler of a fourth of a province) in the name of Emperor Tiberius, son and successor to Octavius Augustus, during whose time Christ was born. In Judea, Pontius Pilate governed instead of Archelaus; in Galilee — Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great who slew the innocent infants in Bethlehem; his other son, Philip, governed Iturea — a country that was situated east of Jordan, and Trachonitus, located north-east of Jordan; the fourth province, Abilene, that adjoined Galilee in the north-east, at the foothill of Antilebanon, was under the rule of Lycinius. The high priests at the time were Annas and Caiaphas: actually, the high priest was Caiaphas, and his father-in-law Annas, who, while being precluded by the civil authorities from holding any responsibilities, enjoyed the authority and respect from the people, and in reality, shared power with his son-in-law.
Upon the death of Augustus in the 767th year from the establishment of Rome, Tiberius assumed the throne. However, as he had already become a co-ruler 2years earlier (in 765), his fifteenth year of rule began in 779, when in all probability, Christ turned 30 years of age. Apostle Luke later indicates at what age Jesus Christ was baptised by John and commenced His societal ministry.
Saint Luke narrates that “the word of God” came to John — in other words, a special calling or revelation from God that prompted him to serve. Saint Matthew calls the place where he commenced his ministry “the wilderness in Judea.” Situated on the western shores of Jordan and the Dead Sea, it carried this name because of its sparse population. After God’s calling, John started to appear in more populous areas of the region, like Bethabara on Jordan (John 1:28), or Aenon near Salim (John 3:23), closer to water, which was essential for baptism. Evangelists Matthew(3:3), Mark (1:3) and Luke (3:4) refer to John the Baptist “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His path straight.” In exactly the same way, John the Baptist mentions himself in John’s Gospel (1:23). These words are taken from the Prophet Isaiah’s pronouncements, where he comforts Jerusalem by saying that the period of their humiliation is over, and that soon, the glory of the Lord will appear and “all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:5).
This prophecy was realised when after a 70 year Babylonian bondage, the Persian King permitted 42 000 Jews to return to their homeland. This return is portrayed by the Prophet as a joyful exodus, commanded by God Himself and preceded by a messenger. This messenger proclaims that a path — along which the Lord and His people had to pass — be prepared straight and even: hollows to be filled, mounds and hills to be levelled etc. This prophecy, the Evangelists and John himself (John 1:23), explain in the form of a symbol (all Old Testament events had this type of meaning, foretelling of happenings to come in the New Testament): under God’s directive, the exodus of His people is interpreted as being the Messiah, while the messenger — His Forerunner, John. In a spiritual sense, the wilderness appears as the people of Israel, while the unevenness that had to be levelled because it was an impediment to the Messiah’s coming — this was mankind’s sins; that’s why the essence of the Forerunner’s sermon led to strictly, one call: “Repent!” This was Isaiah’s symbolic prophecy, while the last of the Old Testament Prophets, Malachi, pronounces correctly that the Forerunner who was preparing the way for the Messiah, was the “Messenger of the Lord.” Saint Mark begins his Gospel with the same citation (Mark 1:2). John the Baptist’s sermon on repentance was based on the approach of the Kingdom of Heaven, ie. Kingdom of the Messiah (Matt. 3:2). The phrase, Kingdom of God’s Word, must be understood as the liberation of Man from the authority of sin and the ascension of righteousness within his nature (Luke 17:21; Rom. 14:17). It also meant the unification of all peoples (that were worthy of this) into one living entity — the Church (Matt. 13:24-43, 47-49), and their eternal heavenly glory in the next life (Luke 23:42-43).
In preparing people for entry into this Kingdom, which was soon to be revealed with the coming of the Messiah, John summoned people to repent and those who did, he baptised with “a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Luke 3:3). This wasn’t a blessed Christian baptism, but only an immersion into water as a symbol that the person wished to be absolved of his sins, just as water cleansed his body of physical grime.
John the Baptist was a strict ascetic, who clothed himself in the roughest camel hide and ate locusts and honey of wild bees. He presented himself as a sharp antithesis of the then contemporary teachers of the Jewish people, and his sermons on the coming of the Messiah - Whose coming many were tensely anticipating — could not but attract general attention. Even the Jewish historian, Joseph Flavius, witnesses that “ the people, captivated by John’s teachings, flooded to him in great numbers.” The authority of this man over the Jews was so great that they were ready to do all his biddings, and even King Herod was afraid of this great teacher’s power. Even the Pharisees and Sadducees could not watch indifferently as masses of people came to John, and they themselves went to him in the wilderness, but hardly with genuine interest. Therefore, it is little wonder that he greets them with stern, reproaching words: “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matt. 3:7). The Pharisees skilfully covered their vices with the strict observance of purely outward instructions of the Law of Moses, while the Sadducees, succumbing to physical comforts, rejected that which went against their epicurean style of living: spiritual life and retribution beyond the grave. John accuses them of arrogance, of their assurance in their personal uprightness, and instils into them that their hope of being Abraham’s descendants, will bring them no benefit if they do not bear fruits worthy of repentance, because “every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matt. 3:10; Luke 3:9), because it is useless. Genuine children of Abraham are not those who have originated from him in flesh, but those that will live in the spirit of his faith and devotion to God.
“And do not think to say to yourselves, ‘we have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones” (Matt. 3:9; Luke 3:8). According to Evangelist Luke, this stern utterance was aimed at the people. But this cannot be looked upon as a contradiction, inasmuch as a significant part of the populace was infected with the false teachings of the Pharisees. Confused by the grave warning, people began to ask: “What shall we do then?” (Luke 3:10). John answers that it is essential to perform deeds of love and benevolence, and to refrain from every type of evil. These would be “fruits worthy of repentance.”
At the time, there was a general expectation of the Messiah’s coming and moreover, when He did come, would baptise (John 1:25). So it is not surprising that many started to pose the question, is John Christ Himself? To this John replied that he baptises with water unto repentance (Matt. 3:11), ie. as a sign of repentance. But the One Who is coming after him is Mightier, Whom he, John, is not worthy to untie His sandals and carry them (Luke 3:16; Mark 1:7, 3:11), just as slaves do for their master. “He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matt. 3:11; Luke 3:16; Mark 1:8) — the Holy Spirit will be active in His baptism, searing every type of iniquity with fire. “His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matt. 3:12; Luke 3:17) — just as the master cleans his thrashing floor of weeds and dirt, Christ will cleanse His people by collecting the wheat ie. gathering into His Church all those who have believed in Him, as though into a granary, and all those that have rejected Him, will be delivered to eternal suffering.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
愿上帝怜恤我罪人
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
for the sake of the prayers
of Thy most pure Mother,
our holy and God-bearing fathers and all the saints, have mercy on us.
Amen.
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Blessed be God.
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