Wednesday, 26 June 2024

Wednesday of the 1st week after Pentecost

52 days after Pascha · Tone 7 · Red cross (polyeleos typikon symbol) · No Fast (Fast Free)

Saints commemorated

Saint David of Thessalonica, the Dendrite

540

Saint David, called the Dendrite or Tree-Dweller, was born in northern Mesopotamia about the year 450 and came to Thessalonica with the monk Adolas, where he embraced the ascetic life at a small monastery dedicated to the holy martyrs Saints Theodore and Mercurius near the northern wall of the city. Inflamed by the example of the holy stylites, but unable to find a pillar, he built himself a cell in the branches of an almond tree beside the church and dwelt there for three full years, exposed to the bitter cold of the Macedonian winters and the burning heat of the summer sun, eating little and praying without ceasing. After three years, when he was full of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, an angel of the Lord appeared to him and told him that his ordeal had been accepted; he came down from the tree and built a cell where he continued in silence and unbroken prayer, granting healings and prophecies to those who came to him. When the Slavs and Avars threatened the city of Thessalonica, the senate sent him as ambassador to the Emperor Justinian at Constantinople, and he was received with great honour, but on his journey home he gave up his soul to God in the year 540. His body was returned to Thessalonica and continued to work many miracles; the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa later took part of his relics to Italy in 1204, and in 1978 they were returned to the city of his ascetic struggle.

Saint Dionysius, Archbishop of Suzdal

Saint Dionysius, in the world David, was tonsured as a youth at the Monastery of the Caves at Kiev, where he was formed in the strict ascetic tradition of Saints Anthony and Theodosius. Receiving from the brethren a small icon of the Mother of God as a blessing, he travelled north to the Volga and settled in a cave on the bank of the river twelve miles below Nizhny Novgorod, where he founded the Pechersk Ascension Monastery and gathered many disciples; among them were Euthymius of Suzdal and Macarius of Unzha. In 1374 he was consecrated Bishop of Suzdal and Nizhny Novgorod, and in 1382 was raised to the dignity of archbishop. The years of his service coincided with the rise of Russia against the Mongol yoke; in 1375, when a Tartar commander shot an arrow at him in his courtyard, the saint's mantle alone was pierced. With his blessing, Saint Lawrence the monk compiled in 1377 the famous Lavrentian Chronicle, which inspired the Russian people in their struggle for freedom. Travelling twice to Constantinople, he was esteemed by Patriarch Nilus, who in 1384 named him Metropolitan of all Russia, calling him a warrior of God and a man of the spirit. On his return through Kiev he was detained by Prince Vladimir Olgerdovich and died in confinement on 15 October 1385. He is commemorated on 26 June, the feast of his patron Saint David of Thessalonica, by whose name he was known in baptism.

Saint John, Bishop of the Goths in the Crimea

Saint John was born in the eighth century in Partenit on the southern coast of the Crimea to a Gothic family of pious parents named Leo and Photina. Refusing to follow the iconoclasm of the Emperor Constantine Copronymus, he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and remained there for three years in the holy places. When the Goths of the Crimea sought a successor for their iconoclast bishop, John was chosen, and since the see at Constantinople was held by an iconoclast he was sent to Iberia in Georgia and there consecrated. He took part in the Seventh Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in 787, signing its definitions in defence of the holy icons and on behalf of the Empress Irene. On returning to his diocese he led a rising against the Khazars who held the Crimean Goths in subjection, but the rebellion was crushed; John was imprisoned at Phoulloi, escaped after some years and took refuge at Amastris on the southern shore of the Black Sea, where he reposed in peace about 791. His body was carried back to Partenit and laid in the church he had built there in honour of the holy apostles, where his tomb remained a place of pilgrimage on the Crimean coast.

Translation of the relics of Saint Tikhon of Lukhov, Kostroma

Saint Tikhon was born in the principality of Lithuania in the fifteenth century and served as a courtier under King Casimir IV. Refusing to embrace the Catholicism imposed on his Orthodox countrymen, in 1482 he crossed into the Russian land, gave away all that he had, received the monastic tonsure with the name Tikhon, and after a period at the monastery of Saint Sabbas of Storozhi withdrew into the wilderness of the Kostroma diocese in the region of Lukh. There, by the river Lukh, he settled with two disciples in a small hermitage where he supported the brotherhood by carving wooden vessels with his own hands. Many gathered to him drawn by his ascetic life of prayer, fasting and humility, and out of his solitude grew the Lukhov Monastery dedicated to the Saviour of the Tree of the Cross. He fell asleep in the Lord on 16 June 1503, having on his deathbed received the great schema. In 1569, when many sick people received healing at his tomb, the abbot Constantine raised his relics and they were found to be incorrupt; Constantine, however, was punished with blindness for the unauthorised uncovering and, after repentance, returned the relics to the earth where they had lain. The Russian Church keeps this translation of his holy relics as a feast on this day.

Feast of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. Feast of the Hodigritia Icon of the Mother of God

This icon was once kept in the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople. In 1383, it suddenly appeared in the sky over Lake Ladoga, then travelled through the air to the city of Tikhvin, where it alit by the River Tikhvina. A monastery was built there to house it. In the twentieth century it was brought to America. Innumerable miracles have been worked through this wonderworking icon, especially healings of children. On this day is also commemorated the Hodigritia Icon of the Mother of God. According to many accounts, this icon and the Tikhvin Icon are one and the same, so we list them together. Hodigritia is translated “Directress” or more literally “She who shows the way.” It was painted by Luke the Evangelist himself, who knew the Mother of God in the flesh. Over the years the icon was taken from Antioch to Jerusalem, then to Constantinople where it was enshrined in the Church of Blachernae. When Constantinople was attacked at the same time by the Persians and the Scythians, Patriarch Sergius carried the holy icon around the ramparts, and the city was miraculously delivered from its pagan enemies. During the iconoclast period, the icon was hidden in a wall in the monastery of the Pantocrator.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

Romans — Romans 1.18-27

¹⁸For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

¹⁸For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness; ¹⁹Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. ¹⁹because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them. ²⁰For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: ²⁰For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse: ²¹Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ²¹because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened. ²²Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, ²²Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, ²³and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. ²³And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

²⁴Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves:

²⁴Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: ²⁵Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. ²⁵for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. ²⁶For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

²⁶For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature: ²⁷And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. ²⁷and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 5.20-26

²⁰For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

²¹Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

²¹Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: ²²But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. ²²but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire. ²³Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; ²³If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, ²⁴Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. ²⁴leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. ²⁵Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. ²⁵Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. ²⁶Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. ²⁶Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing.