Daily Orthodox - November 23rd, 2024
Today is Saturday of the 22nd Week after Pentecost.
Fasting Obligations
- OCA, GOARCH, Antioch: Fish, wine, and oil permitted.
Today, we commemorate...
1. Saint Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium (ca. 395)
Amphilochius was a fellow countryman, companion and friend of St. Basil the Great and other great saints of the fourth century. Amphilochius left the uproar of the world early in life and withdrew to a cave where, as a hermit, he lived in asceticism for forty years. It then happened that the episcopal throne in Iconium was vacated, and Amphilochius, in a wondrous manner, was chosen and consecrated Bishop of Iconium. He was a splendid shepherd and a great defender of the purity of the Orthodox Faith. He took part in the Second Ecumenical Council in 381. He fought zealously against the impious Macedonius, the Arians and the Eunomians. He personally begged Theodosius the Great to expel all the Arians from every city in the empire, but the emperor did not heed him. A few days later, Amphilochius came before the emperor again. When the bishop was led into the reception chamber, the emperor was sitting on his throne, and on his right sat his son Arcadius, whom Theodosius had taken as his co-emperor. Entering the chamber, St. Amphilochius bowed to Emperor Theodosius but paid no attention to Arcadius, the emperor's son, as if he were not there. Greatly enraged at this, Emperor Theodosius ordered that Amphilochius be immediately expelled from the court. The saint then said to the emperor: "Do you see, O Emperor, how you do not tolerate disrespect to your son? So too, God the Father does not tolerate disrespect to His Son, and is disgusted with the corruptness of those who blaspheme Him and is angered at all those adherents of that cursed (Arian) heresy." Hearing this, the emperor then understood why Amphilochius had not given honor to his son, and was amazed at his wisdom and daring. Among many other works, St. Amphilochius wrote several books on the Faith. He entered into rest in great old age in the year 395 and took up his habitation in eternal life.
2. Saint Gregory, Bishop of Agrigentum
Gregory was born of devout parents, Chariton and Theodota in Siciliy near the town of Agrigentum, where he was later bishop. His entire life was imbued with God's wonderful miracles. In a miraculous manner, he went to Jerusalem; in a miraculous manner, he was chosen as bishop; in a miraculous manner, he was saved from slander. He himself was a great miracle-worker, for he was a great God-pleaser, a great spiritual father and an ascetic. He participated at the Fifth Ecumenical Council in Constantinople in 553. After difficult trials he reposed peacefully near the end of the sixth century or the beginning of the seventh.
3. Saint Alexander Nevsky
Alexander was the son of Prince Yaroslav. From childhood, his heart was directed to God. He defeated the Swedes on the river Neva on July 15, 1240, for which he received the appellation "Nevsky" ["of the Neva"]. On that occasion, Saints Boris and Gleb appeared to one of Alexander's commanders and promised their help to the great prince, who was their kinsman. Once, among the Golden Horde of the Tartars, he refused to bow down to idols or to pass through fire. Because of his wisdom, physical strength and beauty, even the Tartar Khan respected him. He built many churches and performed countless works of mercy. He entered into rest on November 14, 1263 at the age of forty-three. On this day, November 23, the translation of his relics to the town of Vladimir is commemorated.
4. Saint Mitrophan (Macarius), Bishop of Voronezh
Mitrophan was a glorious Russian hierarch, ascetic and patriot. He was a friend, and later a critic, of Peter the Great. He entered into rest on November 23, 1703. His wonderworking relics were uncovered in the year 1832.
5. St. Sisinius the Confessor, bishop of Cyzicus (ca. 325)
6. Martyr Theodore of Antioch (4th c.)
7. St. Ischyrion, bishop in Egypt, and hermit, of Scetis (5th c.)
8. St. Trudo, abbot, of Zirkingen (Neth.) (693)
9. St. Amphilochius of the Kiev Caves, bishop of Vladimir, Volhynia (1122)
10. St. Dionysius I, patriarch of Constantinople (15th c.)
11. St. Anthony of Iezeru-Vilcea (Romania) (1714)
12. New Hieromartyr Seraphim, hieromonk, of Moscow (1932)
13. New Hieromartyrs Boris, bishop of Ivanovo, and Eleazar, priest, of Eupatoria, Crimea (1937)
14. New Hieromartyr Gregory, archimandrite, of Georgia, at Auschwitz, Poland (1942)
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.
God permits misfortune to befall the righteous, that He might glorify them more greatly. The overcoming of misfortune reveals both the glory of God and the glory of the righteous. St. Gregory of Agrigentum was, in all things, righteous and pleasing to God. But God permitted misfortune to befall him, similar to that misfortune that once overtook St. Athanasius and St. Macarius. Two priests, Sabinus and Crescens, for whom Gregory had done much good, could not at all tolerate Gregory's virtuousness. For such is the nature of vice, that it cannot tolerate virtue. Consequently, Sabinus and Crescens found a notorious prostitute and bribed her to malign Gregory by saying that he had had immoral relations with her. So it was that when Gregory was in church, the woman crept into his bedroom, and just as Gregory came out of church with the people, she emerged from his room. The two priests began to revile Gregory as a libertine. However, Gregory was composed and prepared for every suffering. They confined him in prison and then transferred him to Rome. The pope believed the slanderers and kept Gregory in prison for two and a half years, without a trial or a verdict. A council was then convened to try Gregory's case, but God judged before man could judge. The woman went insane and was brought mad before the council. She was unable to answer any questions. Gregory, the miracle-worker, prayed to God for her and she was healed, for the evil spirit came out of her. Then, through her tears, she confessed that she had been bribed to malign the man of God, and that immediately after she had committed the slander, the evil spirit had entered her and held her in its power. Sabinus and Crescens, along with the other maligners—more than a hundred in number—found their faces suddenly turned as black as coal, and they were punished with exile. St. Gregory was returned to his diocese and was received with great exultation by his people.
Daily Scriptures
Slavic
- Epistle (for St. Alexander Nevsky): Galatians 5:22-6:2
<22> But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, <23> gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. <24> And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. <25> If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. <26> Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. <1> Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. <2> Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
- Gospel (for St. Alexander Nevsky): Matthew 11:27-30
<27> All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. <28> Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. <29> Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. <30> For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Slavic and Greek
- Epistle (Slavic: Day): 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
<1> For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. <2> For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, <3> if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. <4> For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. <5> Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. <6> So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. <7> For we walk by faith, not by sight. <8> We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. <9> Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. <10> For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
- Gospel (Slavic: Day): Luke 10:19-21
<19> Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. <20> Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." <21> In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.