Daily Orthodox - November 20th, 2024
Today is Wednesday of the 22nd Week after Pentecost.
Fasting Obligations
- OCA, GOARCH, Antioch: Strict fast.
Today, we commemorate...
1. The Venerable Gregory of Decapolis (816)
Gregory was born in Isaurian Decapolis of prominent and devout parents, Sergius and Mary. After he had completed his schooling, his parents desired that he marry, but he fled to the wilderness and was tonsured a monk. He lived in various places: Byzantium, Rome and on Mount Olympus. Wherever he was, he amazed men by his asceticism and miracles. At times a heavenly light illumined him and angels of God appeared to him. He gazed upon the beauty of the angels and listened to their sweet chanting. He lived a long and God-pleasing life and died peacefully in the ninth century in Constantinople, his soul taking up its abode in the joy of his Lord.
2. Saint Proclus, Patriarch of Constantinople
Proclus was a disciple of St. John Chrysostom. In the year 426 he was consecrated Bishop of Cyzicus, and in 435 was chosen Patriarch of Constantinople. He governed the Church of God as a prudent hierarch. During his tenure, two significant events occurred. The first was the translation of the relics of St. John Chrysostom from Comana to Constantinople, at the desire of both the emperor and the patriarch. Emperor Theodosius the Younger was then reigning with his sister, Pulcheria. The second event was the great earthquake in Constantinople and the surrounding countryside. Many of the largest and most beautiful buildings were destroyed by this terrible earthquake. Then the patriarch, with the emperor, many of the clergy, nobles and people, came out in a procession of supplication. As they were praying to God, a child was miraculously lifted high in the air, until he was out of sight. Then he returned and was lowered gently to the ground. Asked where he had been, the child replied that he had been lifted up to heaven among the angels and that he had heard the angels sing: "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us!" Upon hearing this, all the people in the procession began to sing it and the earthquake ceased immediately. From that time on, this beautiful hymn was adopted by the Church. The child soon reposed, and was interred in the Church of St. Irene. In all, St. Proclus served as a hierarch for twenty years and reposed peacefully in the Lord in the year 447.
3. The Holy Martyrs Eustace, Thespesius, and Anatolius, of Nicaea (313)
Eustathius, Thespesius and Anatolius were blood brothers from Nicomedia. Their parents, Philotheus and Eusebia, were pagans who received the true Faith from St. Anthimus, Bishop of Nicomedia, as did their sons. Philotheus was ordained a presbyter. When he and his wife reposed, a terrible persecution of Christians was perpetuated under the evil Emperor Maximian, and Philotheus's three sons were brought to trial. Accused, interrogated and tortured in various ways, they were finally condemned to death. Angels appeared to them many times in prison and gave them manna to eat, filling their young hearts with strength, courage and endurance. When they were led to the place of execution, two friends, Palladius and Acacius, approached them and spoke with them. While they were still speaking, the holy martyrs gave up their souls to God. The soldiers then severed their lifeless heads and took them to show to the judge. They suffered for Christ the Lord in about the year 313, and took up their habitation in the Immortal Kingdom of Christ.
4. Saint Isaac, Catholicos of Armenia (440)
Isaac was born in Constantinople when his father was an envoy of the Armenian king to the Byzantine court. Isaac was the tenth Archbishop of Armenia, and in that calling, governed the Church for fifty years. His episcopacy was distinguished, among other things, by the translation of the Holy Scriptures into the Armenian language. He was told in a vision that the Armenians would eventually fall away from the pure Faith of Orthodoxy [ed. note: the Armenian Church would formally break communion with Rome and Constantinople in the Third Council of Dvin (610), affirming miaphysitism and rejecting Chalcedon]. This eminent hierarch entered peacefully into rest in the year 440 and reposed in the Lord.
5. The Three Holy Virgins
All three were Persians. At the time of King Sapor, these three virgins were persecuted as Christians, and were finally cut to pieces with knives. Three fig trees grew out of their graves that healed all manner of pains and illnesses.
6. Martyr Dasius of Durostolon in Moesia (303)
7. Hieromartyr Nerses, bishop of Shahrqart (Kirkuk), and his disciple Martyr Joseph, and those martyred with them in Persia: Hieromartyrs John, Shapur, and Isaac, bishops of Seit Selok; Martyrs Guhshtazad, eunuch, Mari, Sasan, Tima, Noah, and Zaun, of Lashom; and Bautha, Denachis, Thecla, Dinaq, Tatun, Mama, Mazakya, Ana, Abyat, and Hatay (343)
8. St. Theoctistus the Confessor, of Constantinople (855)
9. Martyr Edmund, king of East Anglia (869)
10. St. Sozomen of Cyprus (12th c.)
11. New Hieromartyrs Macarius, bishop of Dnepropetrovsk, Arsenius, abbot, of the Tikhvin Monastery, Eutychius, abbot, of the St. Marcian Skete (Ukraine), and Hilarion, hieromonk of Glinsk Hermitage (1937)
12. New Nun-martyr Ioannikia, abbess of the Convent of the Entry of the Theotokos (Tikhvin) (1937)
For more information on today's saints or commemorations not provided, see https://www.oca.org/saints/lives (Slavic) and/or https://www.goarch.org/chapel (Greek).
Reflection
Reflections are added when it includes additional stories from the life of a saint commemorated today.
No mortal has interpreted the Epistles of the Apostle Paul with greater love and depth than St. John Chrysostom. Had St. Paul himself interpreted them, he could not have interpreted them better. Behold, history tells us that it was Paul himself who interpreted them through the mind and the pen of Chrysostom. When St. Proclus was a novice under Chrysostom, during the time that he was patriarch, it was his duty to announce visitors. A certain nobleman was slandered before Emperor Arcadius and the emperor had expelled him from the court. This nobleman came to implore Chrysostom to intercede with the emperor on his behalf. Proclus went to announce him to the patriarch but, looking through the partly opened door, saw a man bent over the patriarch, whispering something in his ear while the patriarch wrote. This continued until dawn. Meanwhile, Proclus told the nobleman to come back the next evening, while he himself remained in amazement, wondering who the man with the patriarch was, and how he managed to enter the patriarch's chamber unannounced. The second night the same thing happened again, and Proclus was in still greater amazement. The third night the same thing happened again, and Proclus was in the greatest amazement. When Chrysostom asked him if the nobleman had come by, he replied that he had already been waiting for three nights, but that he couldn't announce him because of the elderly, balding stranger who had been whispering in the patriarch's ear for three nights. The astonished Chrysostom said that he did not remember anyone entering to see him during the previous three nights. He asked his novice what the stranger looked like, and Proclus pointed to the icon of the Holy Apostle Paul, saying that the man was like him. Therefore, it was the Apostle Paul himself who was directing the mind and pen of his greatest interpreter.
Daily Scriptures
Slavic and Greek
- Epistle: Colossians 3:17-4:1
<17> And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. <18> Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. <19> Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. <20> Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. <21> Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. <22> Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. <23> And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, <24> knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. <25> But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality. <1> Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
- Gospel: Luke 18:15-17, 26-30
<15> Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. <16> But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. <17> Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." <26> And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?" <27> But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." <28> Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You." <29> So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, <30> who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."