Daily Orthodox - November 27th, 2024
Today is Wednesday of the 23rd Week after Pentecost.
Fasting Obligations
- OCA, GOARCH, Antioch: Strict fast.
Today, we commemorate...
1. The Holy Martyr James the Persian (400)
James was born of Christian parents in the Persian city of Elapa (or Vilat), brought up in the Christian Faith and married to the Christian woman. The Persian King Yezdegeherd took a liking to James for his talents and skillfulness, and made him a noble at his court. Flattered by the king, James was deluded and began offering sacrifices to the idols that the king worshiped. His mother and wife learned of this, and wrote him a letter of reproach in which they grieved over him as an apostate and one who was spiritually dead. Yet, at the end of the letter, they begged him to repent and return to Christ. Moved by this letter, James repented bitterly, and courageously confessed his faith in Christ the Lord to the king. Angered, the king condemned him to death by a special torture: his entire body was to be cut up, piece by piece, until he breathed his last. The executioners fulfilled this command of the wicked king to the letter, and cut off James' fingers, then his toes, his legs and arms, his shoulders, and finally his head. During every cutting, the repentant martyr gave thanks to God. A sweet-smelling fragrance, as of a cypress, emanated from the wounds. Thus, this wonderful man repented of his sin and presented his soul to Christ his God in the Kingdom of Heaven. James suffered in about the year 400. His head is to be found in Rome and a part of his relics in Portugal, where he is commemorated on May 22.
2. The Seventeen Venerable Monk-martyrs of India (4th c.)
They were Christian monks who suffered at the hands of the Indian King Abenner. Enraged at Elder Barlaam because he baptized his son, Ioasaph, King Abenner sent men in pursuit of him. The pursuers did not capture Barlaam, but captured seventeen other monks and brought them to the king. The king condemned them to death and his men plucked out their eyes, severed their tongues, broke their arms and legs, and then beheaded them. Even so, the Christian Faith in the Kingdom of India was strengthened all the more by the blood of these knights of Christ.
3. The Venerable Romanus the Wonderworker, of Cilicia, near Antioch (5th c.)
Romanus lived a life of asceticism in the vicinity of Antioch. He never kindled a fire or lit a candle in his cell. He reposed peacefully, and was a miracle-worker both during his life and after his death. He intercedes for barren women when they offer prayer to him.
4. The Venerable Pinuphrius of Egypt (4th c.)
Pinuphrius was a contemporary of St. John Cassian (February 29) and a great Egyptian ascetic. He lived in the fourth century and carried out his life of asceticism in various places, always fleeing the praise of men. He had many disciples, who strove to imitate the lofty example of their teacher.
5. The Venerable Nathaniel of Nitria (6th c.)
Nathanial was a Nitrian monk. He prayed to God both day and night, and was enlightened by the contemplation of divine matters. He neither left his cell nor even crossed the threshold for a full thirty-eight years. He entered into rest in the Lord in the second half of the sixth century.
6. St. Palladius of Thessalonica (6th-7th c.)
7. St. Palladius, bishop of Elenopolis, author of The Lausiac History (ca. 430)
8. St. Maximus of Riez (ca. 460)
9. St. Virgil, bishop of Salzburg, Irish missionary (784)
10. Uncovering of the relics (1192) of St. Vsevolod (in baptism Gabriel), prince and wonderworker of Pskov (1138)
11. St. Theodosius of Turnovo, monastic founder at Mt. Kelifarevo (1363)
12. St. James, bishop and wonderworker of Rostov (1392)
13. St. Diodorus, founder of Yuriegorsk Monastery (Solovki) (1633)
14. St. Andrew Ogorodnikov, fool-for-Christ, of Simbirsk (1841)
15. New Hieromartyrs Nicholas, archbishop of Vladimir, Nikon, archimandrite, of the Staro-Golutvin Monastery (Kolomna), Ioasaph, archimandrite, of Nikolskoye Monastery (Moscow), Nicholas, hieromonk of the St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery (Moscow), and Apollos, hieromonk, of Moscow (1937)
16. New Hieromartyrs Cronides, archimandrite, Seraphim, abbot, and Xenophont, hieromonk, all of St. Sergius Lavra (1937)
17. Synaxis of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Radonezh
18. Commemoration of the Miracle of the Weeping Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Of the Sign" at Novgorod (1170)
19. Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos "Of the Sign": "Kursk Root" (1925), "Of Abalak" (1637), "Of Tsarskoe Selo" (17th c.), and "Of Seraphimo-Ponetaev" (1879)
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.
When the executioners severed the thumb of St. James' right hand, he said "Even a vine is pruned in this manner, so that in time a young branch may grow." At the severing of his second finger, he said: "Receive also, O Lord, the second branch of Thy sowing." At the severing of his third finger, he said: "I bless the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." At the severing of his fourth finger, he said: "O Thou who acceptest the praise of the four beasts [symbols of the four evangelists], accept the suffering of the fourth finger." At the severing of the fifth finger, he said: "May my rejoicing be fulfilled as that of the five wise virgins at the wedding feast." During the severing of the sixth finger, he said: "Thanks be to Thee, O Lord, Who at the sixth hour stretched out Thy most pure arms on the Cross, that Thou hast made me worthy to offer Thee my sixth finger." At the severing of the seventh finger, he said: "Like David who praised Thee seven times daily, I praise Thee through the seventh finger severed for Thy sake." At the severing of the eighth finger, he said: "On the eighth day Thou Thyself, O Lord, wast circumcised." At the severing of the ninth finger, he said: "At the ninth hour, Thou didst commend Thy spirit into the hands of Thy Father, O my Christ, and I offer Thee thanks during the suffering of my ninth finger." At the severing of the tenth finger, he said: "On a ten-stringed harp I sing to Thee, O God, and thank Thee that Thou hast made me worthy to endure the severing of the ten fingers of my two hands, for the Ten Commandments written on two tablets." Oh, what wonderful faith and love! Oh, the noble soul of this knight of Christ!
Daily Scriptures
Slavic and Greek
- Epistle: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
<1> For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. <2> But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. <3> For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit. <4> But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. <5> For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness. <6> Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. <7> But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. <8> So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.
- Gospel: Luke 20:1-8
<1> Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him <2> and spoke to Him, saying, "Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?" <3> But He answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me: <4> The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?" <5> And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, ‘From heaven,' He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?' <6> But if we say, ‘From men,' all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet." <7> So they answered that they did not know where it was from. <8> And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."