Saints and Feasts

August 02

The Glorious Prophet Elias (Elijah)

Elias of great fame was from Thisbe or Thesbe, a town of Galaad (Gilead), beyond the Jordan. He was of priestly lineage, a man of a solitary and ascetical character, clothed in a mantle of sheep skin, and girded about his loins with a leathern belt. His name is interpreted as "Yah is my God." His zeal for the glory of God was compared to fire, and his speech for teaching and rebuke was likened unto a burning lamp. From this too he received the name Zealot. Therefore, set aflame with such zeal, he sternly reproved the impiety and lawlessness of Ahab and his wife Jezebel. He shut up heaven by means of prayer, and it did not rain for three years and six months. Ravens brought him food for his need when, at God's command, he was hiding by the torrent of Horrath. He multiplied the little flour and oil of the poor widow of Sarephtha of Sidon, who had given him hospitality in her home, and when her son died, he raised him up. He brought down fire from Heaven upon Mount Carmel, and it burned up the sacrifice offered to God before all the people of Israel, that they might know the truth. At the torrent of Kisson, he slew 450 false prophets and priests who worshipped idols and led the people astray. He received food wondrously at the hand of an Angel, and being strengthened by this food he walked for forty days and forty nights. He beheld God on Mount Horeb, as far as this is possible for human nature. He foretold the destruction of the house of Ahab, and the death of his son Ohozias; and as for the two captains of fifty that were sent by the king, he burned them for their punishment, bringing fire down from Heaven. He divided the flow of the Jordan, and he and his disciple Elisseus passed through as it were on dry land; and finally, while speaking with him, Elias was suddenly snatched away by a fiery chariot in the year 895 B.C., and he ascended as though into heaven, whither God most certainly translated him alive, as He did Enoch (Gen. 5:24; IV Kings 2: 11). But from thence also, after seven years, by means of an epistle he reproached Joram, the son of Josaphat, as it is written: "And there came a message in writing to him from Elias the Prophet, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the way," and so forth (II Chron. 21:12). According to the opinion of the majority of the interpreters, this came to pass either through his disciple Elisseus, or through another Prophet when Elias appeared to them, even as he appeared on Mount Tabor to the disciples of Christ (see Aug. 6).

August 04

Mary Magdalene, the Holy Myrrh-bearer and Equal to the Apostles

Saint Mary was from Magdala in Galilee on the Sea of Tiberias, and for this was named Magdalene. When the Lord Jesus cast out seven demons from her, from which she had been suffering, she became His faithful and inseparable disciple, following Him and ministering unto Him even to the time of His crucifixion and burial. Then, returning to Jerusalem together with the rest of the Myrrh-bearers, she prepared the fragrant spices for anointing the body of the Lord. And on the Lord's day they came very early to the tomb, even before the Angels appeared declaring the Resurrection of the Lord. When Mary Magdalene saw the stone taken away from the tomb, she ran and proclaimed it to Peter and John. And returning immediately to the tomb and weeping outside, she was deemed worthy to be the first of the Myrrh-bearers to behold the Lord arisen from the dead, and when she fell at His feet, she heard Him say, "Touch Me not." After the Lord's Ascension, nothing certain is known concerning her. Some accounts say that she went to Rome and later returned to Jerusalem, and from there proceeded to Ephesus, where she ended her life, preaching Christ. Although it is sometimes said that Saint Mary Magdalene was the "sinful woman" of the Gospel, this is nowhere stated in the tradition of the Church, in the sacred hymnology, or in the Holy Gospels themselves, which say only that our Lord cast seven demons out of her, not that she was a fallen woman. "Madeleine" is a form of Magdalene.

August 06

Christina the Great Martyr of Tyre

Saint Christina was from Tyre in Syria, the daughter of a pagan named Urban. Enlightened in her heart to believe in Christ, she broke her father's idols, made of gold and silver, and distributed the pieces to the poor. When her father learned this, he punished her ruthlessly, then cast her into prison. The rulers subjected her to imprisonments, hunger, torments, the cutting off of her breasts and tongue, and finally impalement, in the year 200, during the reign of the Emperor Septimius Severus.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 8th Tone. Psalm 75.11,1.
Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 3:9-17.

BRETHREN, we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder. I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw - each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are.

البروكيمنون. 8th Tone. مزمور 75: 11، 1.
أنذِروا وأوفُوا للرّبِّ إلهِكُم
الله معروف في يهوذا واسمه عظيم في إسرائيل

فصل من رسالة بولس الاولى الى اهل كورنثس 3: 9-17.

يَُّا إِخْوَة، إِنَّنَا نَحْنُ عَامِلاَنِ مَعَ اللهِ وَأَنْتُمْ فَلاَحَةُ اللهِ بِنَاءُ اللهِ. حَسَبَ نِعْمَةِ اللهِ الْمُعْطَاةِ لِي كَبَنَّاءٍ حَكِيمٍ قَدْ وَضَعْتُ أَسَاساً وَآخَرُ يَبْنِي عَلَيْهِ. وَلَكِنْ فَلْيَنْظُرْ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ كَيْفَ يَبْنِي عَلَيْهِ. فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُ أَحَدٌ أَنْ يَضَعَ أَسَاساً آخَرَ غَيْرَ الَّذِي وُضِعَ الَّذِي هُوَ يَسُوعُ الْمَسِيحُ. وَلَكِنْ إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُ يَبْنِي عَلَى هَذَا الأَسَاسِ ذَهَباً فِضَّةً حِجَارَةً كَرِيمَةً خَشَباً عُشْباً قَشّاً فَعَمَلُ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ سَيَصِيرُ ظَاهِراً لأَنَّ الْيَوْمَ سَيُبَيِّنُهُ. لأَنَّهُ بِنَارٍ يُسْتَعْلَنُ وَسَتَمْتَحِنُ النَّارُ عَمَلَ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مَا هُوَ. إِنْ بَقِيَ عَمَلُ أَحَدٍ قَدْ بَنَاهُ عَلَيْهِ فَسَيَأْخُذُ أُجْرَةً. إِنِ احْتَرَقَ عَمَلُ أَحَدٍ فَسَيَخْسَرُ وَأَمَّا هُوَ فَسَيَخْلُصُ وَلَكِنْ كَمَا بِنَارٍ. أَمَا تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّكُمْ هَيْكَلُ اللهِ وَرُوحُ اللهِ يَسْكُنُ فِيكُمْ؟ إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدٌ يُفْسِدُ هَيْكَلَ اللهِ فَسَيُفْسِدُهُ اللهُ لأَنَّ هَيْكَلَ اللهِ مُقَدَّسٌ الَّذِي أَنْتُمْ هُوَ.

Gospel Reading

The Reading is from Matthew 14:22-34

At that time, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately he spoke to them, saying "Take heart, it is I; have no fear."

And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they entered the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.

متى 14: 22-34

²²في ذلك الزمان أَلْزَمَ يَسُوعُ تَلاَمِيذَهُ أَنْ يَدْخُلُوا السَّفِينَةَ وَيَسْبِقُوهُ إِلَى الْعَبْرِ حَتَّى يَصْرِفَ الْجُمُوعَ.²³وَبَعْدَمَا صَرَفَ الْجُمُوعَ صَعِدَ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ مُنْفَرِداً لِيُصَلِّيَ. وَلَمَّا صَارَ الْمَسَاءُ كَانَ هُنَاكَ وَحْدَهُ. ²⁴وَأَمَّا السَّفِينَةُ فَكَانَتْ قَدْ صَارَتْ فِي وَسَطِ الْبَحْرِ مُعَذَّبَةً مِنَ الأَمْوَاجِ. لأَنَّ الرِّيحَ كَانَتْ مُضَادَّةً. ²⁵وَفِي الْهَزِيعِ الرَّابِعِ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مَضَى إِلَيْهِمْ يَسُوعُ مَاشِياً عَلَى الْبَحْرِ. ²⁶فَلَمَّا أَبْصَرَهُ التَّلاَمِيذُ مَاشِياً عَلَى الْبَحْرِ اضْطَرَبُوا قَائِلِينَ: إِنَّهُ خَيَالٌ. وَمِنَ الْخَوْفِ صَرَخُوا! ²⁷فَلِلْوَقْتِ كَلَّمَهُمْ يَسُوعُ قَائِلاً : تَشَجَّعُوا! أَنَا هُوَ. لاَ تَخَافُوا. ²⁸فَأَجَابَهُ بُطْرُسُ وَقَالَ : يَا سَيِّدُ ، إِنْ كُنْتَ أَنْتَ هُوَ ، فَمُرْنِي أَنْ آتِيَ إِلَيْكَ عَلَى الْمَاءِ. ²⁹فَقَالَ: تَعَالَ. فَنَزَلَ بُطْرُسُ مِنَ السَّفِينَةِ وَمَشَى عَلَى الْمَاءِ لِيَأْتِيَ إِلَى يَسُوعَ. ³⁰وَلَكِنْ لَمَّا رَأَى الرِّيحَ شَدِيدَةً خَافَ. وَإِذِ ابْتَدَأَ يَغْرَقُ ، صَرَخَ قَائِلاً : يَا رَبُّ ، نَجِّنِي ! ³¹فَفِي الْحَالِ مَدَّ يَسُوعُ يَدَهُ وَأَمْسَكَ بِهِ وَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا قَلِيلَ الإِيمَانِ لِمَاذَا شَكَكْتَ؟ ³²وَلَمَّا دَخَلاَ السَّفِينَةَ سَكَنَتِ الرِّيحُ. ³³وَالَّذِينَ فِي السَّفِينَةِ جَاءُوا وَسَجَدُوا لَهُ قَائِلِينَ: بِالْحَقِيقَةِ أَنْتَ ابْنُ اللَّهِ!.³⁴فَلَمَّا عَبَرُوا جَاءُوا إِلَى أَرْضِ جَنِّيسَارَتَ .

Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great Martyr Christina in the Fourth Tone

O Lord Jesus, unto Thee Thy lamb doth cry with a great voice: O my Bridegroom, Thee I love; and seeking Thee, I now contest, and with Thy baptism am crucified and buried. I suffer for Thy sake, that I may reign with Thee; for Thy sake I die, that I may live in Thee: accept me offered out of longing to Thee as a spotless sacrifice. Lord, save our souls through her intercessions, since Thou art great in mercy.

Kontakion of Great Martyr Christina in the Fourth Tone

O dove of golden wings, thou shonest like lightning, and flewest up unto the height of the Heavens, august Christina; therefore we all celebrate thy glorious festival, as we faithfully rev'rence the worshipful shrine wherein thy pure relics are treasured, whence thou dost truly well forth unto all divine cures both for the body and for the soul.

Apolytikion of Holy Martyrs Boris and Gleb in the Second Tone

O Righteous Passion-bearers and true fulfillers of the Gospel of Christ, Chaste Boris and guileless Gleb, ye did not oppose the onslaughts of your enemy, your brother, who though killing your bodies was unable to touch your souls. Let the evil lover of power mourn therefore, while ye rejoice with the angelic choirs; and as ye stand before the Holy Trinity, pray for the souls of them that honour your memory, that they may be pleasing to God: and by your intercessions, pray that all Orthodox people may be saved.

Kontakion of Holy Martyrs Boris and Gleb in the Third Tone

On this day your memory hath shone forth, splendid with glory, O ye noble sufferers and Passion-bearers of Christ God. It hath called us to give glory to Christ our Saviour; wherefore those that draw nigh to the shrine of your relics, do ye swiftly heal as wise and divine physicians, O hallowed Boris and Gleb.

Wisdom of the Fathers

The Lord does not always appear in glory to all who stand before Him. To beginners He appears in the form of a servant (Phil. 2:7); to those able to follow Him as He climbs the high mountain of His transfiguration He appears in the form of God, the form in which He existed before the world came to be (John 17:5).

St. Maximos the Confessor

Second Century on Theology, 13., 7th Century

It is therefore possible for the same Lord not to appear in the same way to all who stand before Him, but to appear to some in one way and to others in another way, according to the measure of each person's faith.

St. Maximos the Confessor

Second Century on Theology, 13., 7th Century

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