Fasting Rules
Meat
Abstain
Fish
Allowed
Dairy
Abstain
Oil
Allowed
Wine
Allowed
Saints & Commemorations
St Nicholas the Wonderworker, Abp. of Myra in Lycia
New Martyr Nicolas Karamos of Smyrna (1657)
He was a Christian living in Smyrna under Ottoman rule. One day he lost his temper in an argument and exclaimed that he would “turn Turk” before he would give way in the dispute. Immediately, some Turks watching the argument seized Nicolas and brought him before the judge to honor his promise. Nicolas, who had come to his senses, declared ‘If it please God, I will never deny my Lord Jesus Christ, the true God who will come to judge the living and the dead.’ The judge had the humble confessor flogged and tortured through thirty-six days, but he remained firm in his confession of Christ, despite even the tears of his mother and his wife. Finally
He was a Christian living in Smyrna under Ottoman rule. One day he lost his temper in an argument and exclaimed that he would “turn Turk” before he would give way in the dispute. Immediately, some Turks watching the argument seized Nicolas and brought him before the judge to honor his promise. Nicolas, who had come to his senses, declared ‘If it please God, I will never deny my Lord Jesus Christ, the true God who will come to judge the living and the dead.’ The judge had the humble confessor flogged and tortured through thirty-six days, but he remained firm in his confession of Christ, despite even the tears of his mother and his wife. Finally, the judge had him hanged on March 19 1657. His torments and faithfulness were seen by some Western visitors; so moved were they that they recovered his body from the sea (where it had been cast after hanging) and took it to Europe.
St Maximus, Metropolitan of Kiev & Vladimir (1305)
He was one of the bold Confessors who opposed the false Union of Lyons perpetrated by the Emperor Michael VIII in 1274. In 1283 he became Metropolitan of Kiev (and thus of the whole Russian Church). At that time the Principality of Kiev had been reduced to ruins by the Tatar invaders. Saint Maximus received a revelation from God that he should transfer the metropolitanate from Kiev to Vladimir.
He was one of the bold Confessors who opposed the false Union of Lyons perpetrated by the Emperor Michael VIII in 1274. In 1283 he became Metropolitan of Kiev (and thus of the whole Russian Church). At that time the Principality of Kiev had been reduced to ruins by the Tatar invaders. Saint Maximus received a revelation from God that he should transfer the metropolitanate from Kiev to Vladimir. On the night following the move to Vladimir, the Most Holy Theotokos appeared to the Saint, saying ‘You have done well, Maximus my servant, in coming to live in my city!’ She then put a mantle on his shoulders which he found when he awoke.
Saint Maximus reposed in peace in 1305. His body, interred in the Cathedral of Vladimir, was found to be incorrupt in the nineteenth century.
Scripture Readings
☩Epistle
2 Thessalonians 1:1-10
1
Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2
Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
4
So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
5
Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
6
Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
7
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
10
When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
☩Gospel
Luke 20:27-44
27
Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,
28
Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
29
There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.
30
And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.
31
And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.
32
Last of all the woman died also.
33
Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.
34
And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
35
But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
36
Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
37
Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
38
For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.
39
Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.
40
And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.
41
And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David’s son?
42
And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
43
Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
44
David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?
Liturgical data sourced from OCA.org and orthocal.info