Fasting Guidelines
Third Week of Pascha. Tone two.
Today is fast-free!
Today’s Commemorations
- Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian (98-117).
- Venerable Arsenius the Great of Scetis (448).
- Venerables Arsenius the Lover of Labor (14th c.) and Pimen the Ascetic (12th c.), of the Kiev Caves.
- Martyrs Nicephorus (1942).
- Translation of the relics (1785) of Venerable Arsenius of Novgorod, fool-for-Christ (1570).
- Venerable Hierax of Egypt (5th c.).
- The Monks Zosima and Adrian of Volokolamsk (15-16th c.).
- St. Emilia (375), mother of Sts. Macrina, Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa.
- Venerable Cassian, recluse and faster of the Kiev Caves (13-14th c.).
- St. Macarius of Ghent, archbishop (1012) (Neth.).
- St. Iduberga, foundress of Nijvel (652) (Neth.).
- Commemoration of the healing of blinded Stephen by the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of Cassiopia.
- Hiermartyrs Indract and Comp, at Shapwick.
- St. Wiro, bishop of Utrecht.
- St. Odger, hierodeacon, of Odilienberg.
Scripture Readings
John 21:15-25 (Matins Gospel)
So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish. This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
Acts 8:5-17
Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city. But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
John 6:27-33
Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him. Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
1 John 1:1-7 (Apostle)
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life- the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us- that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
John 19:25-27; 21:24-25 (Apostle)
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
Saints and Feasts Celebrated Today
Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian (98-117). 
The Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian occupies an unique place in the ranks of the chosen disciples of Christ the Saviour. Often in iconography the Apostle John is depicted as a gentle, majestic and spiritual elder, with features of innocent tenderness, with the imprint of complete calm upon his forehead and the deep look of a contemplator of unuttered revelations. Another main trait of the spiritual countenance of the Apostle John is revealed through his teaching about love, for which the title “Apostle of Love” is preeminently designated to him. Actually, all his writings are permeated by love, the basic concept of which leads to the comprehension, that God in His Being is Love (1 Jn. 4: 8). In his writings, Saint John dwells especially upon the manifestations of the inexpressible love of God for the world and for mankind, the love of his Divine Teacher. He constantly exhorts his disciples to mutual love one for another. The service of Love – was the entire pathway of life of the Apostle John the Theologian. The qualities of calmness and profound contemplation were in him combined with an ardent fidelity, tender and boundless love with intensity and even a certain abruptness. From the brief indications of the Evangelists it is apparent, that he was endowed in the highest degree with an ardent nature, and his hearty passionateness sometimes reached such a stormy zealousness, that Jesus Christ was compelled to give the admonishment, that it was discordant with the spirit of the new teaching (Mk. 9: 38-40; Lk. 9: 49-50, 54‑56) and He called the Apostle John and his brother by birth the Apostle James “Sons of Thunder” (“Boanerges”). During this while Saint John shows scant modesty, and besides his particular position among the Apostles as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”, he did not stand out among the other disciples of the Saviour. The distinguishing features of his character were the observance and sensitivity to events, permeated by a keen sense of obedience to the Will of God. Impressions received from without rarely showed up in his word or actions, but they penetrated deeply and powerfully into the inner life of the holy Apostle John. Always sensitive to others, his heart ached for the perishing. The Apostle John with pious tremulation was attentive to the Divinely-inspired teaching of his Master, to the fulness of grace and truth, in pure and sublime comprehending the Glory of the Son of God. No feature of the earthly life of Christ the Saviour slipped past the penetrating gaze of the Apostle John, nor did any event occur, that did not leave a deep impression on his memory, since in him was concentrated all the fulness and wholeness of the human person. The thoughts also of the Apostle John the Theologian are imbued with suchlike an integral wholeness. The dichotomy of person did not exist for him. In accord with his precepts, where there is not full devotion, there is nothing. Having chosen the path to service to Christ, to the end of his life he fulfilled it with complete and undivided devotion. The Apostle John speaks about wholistic a devotion to Christ, about the fulness of life in Him, wherefore also sin is considered by him not as a weakness and injury of human nature, but as evil, as a negative principle, which is completely set in opposition to the good (Jn. 8: 34; 1 Jn. 3: 4, 8-9). In his perspective, it is necessary to belong either to Christ or to the devil, it is not possible to be of a mediocre lukewarm, undecided condition (1 Jn. 2: 22, 4: 3; Rev. 3: 15-16). Therefore he served the Lord with undivided love and self-denial, having repudiated everything that appertains to the ancient enemy of mankind, the enemy of truth and the father of lies (1 Jn. 2: 21-22). Just as strongly as he loves Christ, just as strongly he contemns the Anti-Christ; just as intensely he loves truth, with an equal intensity does he contemn falsehood, – for light doth expel darkness (Jn. 8: 12; 12: 35-36). By the manifestation of the inner fire of love he witnesses with the unique power of spirit about the Divinity of Jesus Christ (Jn. 1: 1-18; 1 Jn. 5: 1-12). To the Apostle John was given to express the last word of the Divine Revelation (i.e. the final book of the Holy Scripture), ushering in the most treasured mysteries of the Divine inner life, known only to the eternal Word of God, the Only-Begotten Son. Truth is reflected in his mind and in his words, wherein he senses and grasps it in his heart. He has comprehension of eternal Truth, and as he sees it, he transmits it to his beloved spiritual children. The Apostle John with simplicity affirms or denies and speaks always with absolute precision (1 Jn. 1: 1). He hears the voice of the Lord, revealing to him what He Himself hears from the Father. The theology of the Apostle John abolishes the borderline between the present and the future. Looking at the present time, he does not halt at it, but transports his gaze to the eternal in the past time and to the eternal in the future time. And therefore he, exhorting for holiness in life, solemnly proclaims, that “all, born of God, sin not” (1 Jn. 5: 18; 3: 9). In communion with God the true Christian partakes of life Divine, whereby the future of mankind is accomplished already on earth. In his explanation and disclosing of the teaching about the Economia of salvation, the Apostle John crosses over into the area of the eternal present, in which Heaven would co-incide with earth and the earth would be enlightened with the Light of Heavenly Glory. Thus did the Galilean fisherman, this son of Zebedee, become Theologian proclaiming through Revelation the mystery of world-existence and the fate of mankind. The celebration on 8 May of the holy Apostle John the Theologian was established by the Church in remembrance of the annual drawing forth on this day at the place of his burial of fine rose ashes, which believers gathered for healing from various maladies. The account about the life of the holy Evangelist John the Theologian is situated under 26 September, the day of his repose.
Venerable Arsenius the Great of Scetis (448). 
The Monk Arsenius the Great was born in the year 354 at Rome into a pious Christian family, which provided him a fine education and upbringing. Having studied the secular sciences and mastered to perfection the Latin and Greek languages, the Monk Arsenius acquired profound knowledge, combined with a pious and virtuous life. His deep faith impelled the youth to leave his preoccupation with the sciences and choose service to God. When he entered into the ranks of the clergy at one of the Roman churches, he was then elevated to the dignity of deacon. The emperor Theodosius (379-395), ruling the Eastern half of the Roman empire, heard about his erudition and piety, and he entrusted to Arsenius the education of his sons Arcadius and Honorius. Against his will, in obedience however to the command of the Roman pope Dymas, the Monk Arsenius was compelled to withdraw from service at the holy altar, at which time he was 29 years old. Having arrived at Constantinople, Arsenius was received with great honour by the emperor Theodosius, who gave him charge to educate the imperial sons not only as regards wisdom, but also piety, guarding them from the passions of youth. “Though also they be imperial sons, – said Theodosius, – yet must they be obedient unto thee in everything, as to their father and teacher”. With fervour the monk concerned himself with the education of the youths, but the high esteem with which he was surrounded troubled his spirit, which yearned for service to God and the quietude of monastic life. In fervent prayer the monk besought the Lord to show him the way to salvation. The Lord hearkened to his prayer and one time he heard a voice, telling him: “Arsenius, flee people and be saved”. And then, removing his rich clothing and replacing it by that of a wanderer, he secretly left the court, got upon a ship and sailed off to Alexandria, from whence he quickly hastened to a skete monastery. Arriving at the church, he besought the presbyter to accept him into the monks, calling himself a wretched wanderer, though his very manner betrayed him as not a simple but rather cultivated man. The brethren led him off to the Monk Abba John Koloves (Comm. 9 November), famed for his holiness of life. That one, wishing to test the humility of the newcomer, during the time of the refectory meal did not seat Arsenius amongst the monks, but rather threw him sugar, saying: “Eat if thou dost wish”. With great humility Saint Arsenius fell to his knees, came up to the sugar laying there and did eat, having gone off into a corner. Seeing this, Starets-elder John said: “He will be a great ascetic!” Then accepting Arsenius with love, he tonsured the beginning ascetic into monasticism. The Monk Arsenius with zeal passed through his obediences and soon he surpassed many of the wilderness fathers in asceticism. One time at prayer the monk again heard the Voice: “Arsenius, flee people and dwell in silence – this is the root of sinlessness”. – From that moment the Monk Arsenius settled outside the Skete, in a solitary cell, and having taken on the exploit of silence he seldom left from his seclusion, arriving in church only on Sundays and feastdays, and in observing complete silence he conversed with no one. To the question of one monk, why he so hid himself from people, the ascetic answered: “God sees, that I love all, but I am not able to be simultaneously with God and with people. The Heavenly Powers all have one will and unanimously do they praise God, upon the earth however each man has his own will and thoughts of various people. I am not able, to forsake God and live with people”. Dwelling in constant prayer, the monk however did not refuse arriving monks counsel and guidance, giving short, but perceptive answers to their questions. One time a monk from the Skete coming to the great elder saw him through a windowlet standing at prayer, surrounded by a flame. The handcraft of the Monk Arsenius was woven baskets, for which he took the leaves of Phoenician palms from which he plaited baskets, having soaked them in water. For a whole year the Monk Arsenius did not replace the water in a container, from which issued forth a putrid stench. To the question – why thus he did this, the monk answered that by it he would humble himself, since having lived in the world he had been surrounded by fragrant smells, and now instead he would endure the stench, so that after death he should not know the stench of hell. The fame of the great ascetic spread far, and many wanted to see him – by this they disturbed the quietude of the great ascetic, and as a result the monk was forced to move around from place to place. But those thirsting to receive guidance and blessing still found him. The Monk Arsenius taught: many take upon themselves great exploits of repentance and vigil, but rare is the one who would guard his soul from jealousy, anger, remembrance of evil, judgement and pride, being in such like adorned graves, filled within by the stench of bones. A certain monk asked the saint what he should do, when he in reading the Psalms did not understand their meaning. The elder answered, that he should continue the reading of the Psalms, since the evil powers flee from us, not able to bear the power of the written Word of God. The monks happened to hear, how the saint often urged himself on in his efforts with the words: “Work, Arsenius, do not loaf around; thou hast come not for rest, but for work”. The monk also said: “Many a time repented I about my words, but about my silence – never”. The great ascetic and keeper of silence was bestown the gift of gracious tears, by which his eyes were constantly filled. He spent 55 years at monastic exploits, meriting from his contemporaries the title “the Great”, and he died at age 95 in the year 449 or 450.
Venerables Arsenius the Lover of Labor (14th c.) and Pimen the Ascetic (12th c.), of the Kiev Caves.
The Monk Pimen, Fast-Keeper of Pechersk, won fame by his exploit of fasting. The relics of the saint rest in the Farther Caves. His memory is also 28 August.
Translation of the relics (1785) of Venerable Arsenius of Novgorod, fool-for-Christ (1570).
The Monk Arsenii of Novgorod, Fool-for-Christ, reposed in the year 1570, (the account about him is located under 12 July, – the day of his repose). The celebration was established on 8 May in connection with the transfer of his relics in 1785, and with the “Saints-name-in-common” (“tezoimenitstvo”) of this day.
The Monks Zosima and Adrian of Volokolamsk (15-16th c.).
The Monks Zosima and Adrian of Volokolamsk, founders of the Sestrinsk monastery on the banks of the River Sestra, pursued asceticism during the XV-XVI Centuries. Their remains were buried in the Uspenie-Dormition church of the monastery founded by them.
St. Emilia (375), mother of Sts. Macrina, Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa.
She bore nine children, and imparted her Christian faith so effectively that five of them are counted as Saints of the Church: Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, Peter of Sebaste, Macrina and Theosevia. In her old age she founded a monastery, and lived in it with her daughter Macrina until her repose.
Additional Saints and Feasts Celebrated Today
Martyrs Nicephorus (1942).
Venerable Hierax of Egypt (5th c.).
Venerable Cassian, recluse and faster of the Kiev Caves (13-14th c.).
St. Macarius of Ghent, archbishop (1012) (Neth.).
St. Iduberga, foundress of Nijvel (652) (Neth.).
Commemoration of the healing of blinded Stephen by the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of Cassiopia.
Hiermartyrs Indract and Comp, at Shapwick.
St. Wiro, bishop of Utrecht.
St. Odger, hierodeacon, of Odilienberg.
Today’s Hymns
St. John the Theologian, Troparion, Tone II
O beloved apostle of Christ God,
haste thou to deliver a defenseless
people.
He Who permitted thee to recline against His breast
receiveth thee,
prostrate in supplication.
Him do thou beseech, O theologian,
that He dispel
the gloom of the nations which doth beset us,
asking for us peace and great
mercy.
Kontakion to St. Arsenius, Tone III: “Today the Virgin…”
From Rome thou didst shine forth like the great sun,
and thou didst reach
the imperial city, O all-blessed one,
illumining it with thy words and deeds
and dispelling all the darkness of ignorance.
Wherefore, we honor thee, O
venerable Arsenius, thou glory of the fathers.
Download today’s octoechos HERE.
Download today’s menaion HERE.
Courtesy of St. Sergius Church
Hymns, Readings, Feast Day, and Fasting Information provided by Holy Trinity Orthodox Church.
Aggregated and Formatted by OrthoBot OC.
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