Fasting Guidelines
Afterfeast of the Ascension. Tone five.
Today is fast-free!
Today’s Commemorations
- St. Nicephorus the Confessor, patriarch of Constantinople (829).
- Great-martyr John the New of Suceava, at Belgorod (Cetatea Alba) (1332).
- Finding of the relics (1815) of St. Juliana , princess of Vyasma (1406).
- Hieromartyr Pothinus, bishop of Lyons (177) ( Gaul ).
- St. Blandina and St. Ponticus of Lyons (177) ( Gaul ).
- “Kiev-Bratsk” Icon of the Mother of God (1654).
- New Martyr Demetrius of Philadelphia (1657) (Greek).
- St. Odo, archbishop of Canterbury (959)) (Celtic & British).
- New Martyr Constantine of the Hagarenes (Mt. Athos) (1819) (Greek).
- Hieromartyr Erasmus of Ochrid, who reposed in peace, and 20,000 Martyrs with him (303) (Greek).
- New Martyr John of Trebizond (Greek).
Scripture Readings
Acts 20:7-12
Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.” Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted.
John 14:10-21
Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever- the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.
Saints and Feasts Celebrated Today
St. Nicephorus the Confessor, patriarch of Constantinople (829). 
Sainted Nicephoros the Confessor was born in Constantinople in the second half of the VIII Century. Deep faith and preparation for the deed of confessor were instilled in him by his parents, Theodore and Eudocia. They gave their son a genuine Christian upbringing, reinforced by the example of their own life. His father suffered as a confessor of Orthodoxy under the Iconoclast emperor Constantine Copronymos (740-775). His mother, having shared in all the tribulation with her husband, followed him into exile, and after his death she returned to Constantinople and finished her life in a convent. Saint Nicephoros received a fine secular education, but most of all he studied the Holy Scriptures and he read spiritual books. During the reign of Leo IV (775-780), Saint Nicephoros received the position of imperial counselor. Situated at the imperial court, he continued to lead a strict and virtuous life, he firmly preserved the purity of his Orthodox faith and zealously defended the veneration of holy icons. After the death of Leo IV, during the reign of Constantine VI (780-797) and his mother Saint Irene, – at Nicea in the year 787 was convened the VII OEcumenical Council, which condemned the Iconoclast heresy. Being deeply knowledgeable in the Holy Scriptures, Saint Nicephoros in the emperor’s name entered into the Council in the defense of Orthodoxy, by which he rendered great assistance to the holy fathers of the Council. After the Council, Saint Nicephoros remained for several years at court, but the whole life of vanity all more and more became burdensome to the saint. He retired his position and settled in solitude near the Bosphorus, spending his life in scholarly work, and in quietude, fasting and prayer. Saint Nicephoros built a church, founded a monastery, and led a strict monastic life even before taking monastic vows. During the reign of emperor Nicephorus I (802-811), and after the death of the holy Patriarch Tarasios (784-806), Saint Nicephoros was chosen to his place: he received monastic vows and the priestly dignity and was elevated to the patriarchal throne on 12 April 806, on the day of holy Pascha. Under the emperor Leo V the Armenian (813-820), – a passionate adherent of the Iconoclast heresy, there again began for the Church a period of unrest and persecutions. The emperor was not immediately able to begin open persecution against Orthodoxy, since Iconoclasm was condemned at the VII OEcumenical Council. The holy Patriarch continued to serve in the Great church, bolding urging the people to preserve the Orthodox faith, and he led the consequent and unremitting struggle with heresy. The emperor began to recall from exile the bishops and clergy, excommunicated from the Church by the VII OEcumenical Council. Having convened with them an heretical council, the emperor demanded that the Patriarch appear for a dispute about the faith. The Patriarch refused to argue about the faith with heretics, since the teachings of the Iconoclasts were already condemned in the anathema of the VII OEcumenical Council. He endeavoured all the more to bring the emperor and those around him to their senses, he fearlessly explained to the people the teaching about the veneration of holy icons, he wrote admonitions to the empress and to the city-governor Eutykhianos, the closest one to the imperial dignity, attaching at the end the prophetic words about a quick perishing of heretics from “the punishing hands of the Lord”. Then the heretical council passed an excommunication of holy Patriarch Nicephoros and his predecessors – the blessedly-reposing Patriarchs Tarasios and Germanos. Saint Nicephoros was sent at first to a monastery at Chrysopolis, and later – to the island Prokonnis in the Sea of Marmara. After 13 years of deprivation and sorrow the holy Patriarch Nicephoros died in exile on 2 June 828. On 13 March 847 the undecayed relics of the holy Patriarch Nicephoros, having lain in the ground for 19 years, were solemnly transferred to Constantinople into the cathedral church of Saint Sophia. Saint Nicephoros was outstanding as a church activist of his times, “a credit to his era and his chair (cathedra)” and, having much served the Church, he left behind an extensive spiritual legacy – numerous works of historical, dogmatic and canonical content.
Great-martyr John the New of Suceava, at Belgorod (Cetatea Alba) (1332). 
The Holy Greatmartyr John the New, of Sochav, lived in the XIV Century in the city of Trapizund. By occupation he was a trading merchant, pious and firm in his Orthodoxy, and generous to the poor. One time in accord with his trading activities he happened to be sailing on a ship. The captain of the ship was not Orthodox. Having entered into a discussion about the faith with Saint John, he was humiliated and held a bad grudge against the saint. During the time of the ship’s stay at Belgrade by the Bosphorus, the captain went to the city-governor, – a fire-worshipper by faith, and suggested that on his ship was a studious man, desiring to also become a fire-worshipper. The city-governor with esteem invited Saint John to join himself to the fire-worshippers, blaspheming his faith in Christ. The saint prayed secretly, calling on the help of the One Who said: “When however they lead forth to hand you over, be not concerned aforetime what ye shalt say, and ponder not; but what will be given you in that hour, speak ye that, since it be not ye that speaketh, but rather the Holy Spirit” (Mk. 13: 11). And the Lord gave him the courage and understanding to repudiate all the claims of the impious and to firmly confess himself a Christian. After this, the saint was so fiercely beaten with canes that all his body was lacerated, and the flesh beneathe the blows came asunder in pieces. The holy martyr prayed, thanking God, for being found worthy to shed his blood for Him to wash away his sins. Afterwards they put him in chains and dragged him away to prison. In the morning the city-governor gave orders to again bring forth the saint. The martyr came before him with a bright and cheerful face. To the repeated suggestion to recant from Christ, the intrepid martyr refused with his former firmness, denouncing the governor as a tool of satan. Then they beat him again with canes, such that all his insides were laid bare. The gathering crowd could not bear this horrible spectacle and they began to shout angrily, denouncing the governor, for so inhumanly tormenting a defenseless man. The governor, having the beating stopped, gave orders to tie the great-martyr by the legs to the tail of a wild horse to drag him through the streets of the city. Residents of the Hebrew quarter particularly scoffed over the martyr and threw stones at him; finally, someone grabbed a sword, and overtaking the dragged saint, cut off his head. The body of the great-martyr with his cut-off head lay there until evening, and none of the Christians dared to take him. By night was seen over him a luminous pillar and a multitude of burning lamps; three light-bearing men made a singing of the Psalms and censing over the body of the saint. One of the Jews, thinking that these were Christians come to take up the remains of the martyr, grabbed a bow and wanted to shoot an arrow at them, but held by the invisible power of God, he became rigid. With the onset of morning the vision vanished, but the archer continued to stand motionless. Having told the gathering inhabitants of the city about the night vision and what was done to him by the command of God, he was freed from his invisible bonds. Having learned about the occurrence, the city-governor gave permission to bury the remains of the great-martyr. The body was buried near the local church. This occurred between the years 1330 and 1340. The captain, who had betrayed Saint John over to torture, repented his deed and decided secretly to convey the relics to his own native country, but the great-martyr having appeared in a dream to the presbyter of the church, prevented this. After 70 years the relics were transferred to Sochav, the capital of the Moldo-Valachian principality, and placed in the cathedral church.
Finding of the relics (1815) of St. Juliana , princess of Vyasma (1406). 
Nobleborn Juliania, Princess of Vyazemsk and Novotorzh, a daughter of the boyar-noble Maksim Danilov, was glorified by a deep marital prudence. Her spouse, the Vyazemsk prince Simeon Mstislavich, and also the Smolemsk prince Yuri Svyatoslavich, were compelled to flee their native lands, which the Lithuanian prince Vitovt had seized. Then the Moscow prince Vasilii Dimitrovich bestowed the exiled princes the Tver city of Torzhok. Prince Yuri Svyatoslavich became captivated by the beauty of Juliania and tried every which way to persuade her to adultery, but Juliania strictly kept her marital fidelity. One time during a feast, prince Yuri killed the husband of Juliania, in the hope of taking her by force. Saint Juliania resisted the ravisher. The enraged prince Yuri gave orders to cut off her hands and feet, and to throw her body into the Tvertsa River. The martyrdom of Saint Juliania was done in the winter of 1406. From pricks of conscience prince Yuri fled to the Tatars, but even there he did not find peace. He then settled in the Ryazan wilderness (where also he died in 1408). In the spring of 1406 they saw the body of the blessed princess floating in the far current. A certain paralytic heard a voice from above, commanding to bury the body of Saint Juliania at the south gate of the cathedral in Torzhok. A tomb with the body was afterwards built at the Saviour-Transfiguration cathedral, where many received healing from her. In connection with the glorification of Saint Juliania on 2 June 1819 was built a chapel at the right-hand side, dedicated to her name. At the cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Lord, where earlier there was a chapel over the grave of the saint, a church was built and also dedicated to the name of Saint Juliania in 1906.
“Kiev-Bratsk” Icon of the Mother of God (1654).
The Kievo-Bratsk Icon of the Mother of God was situated at first in the Borisoglebsk church in the city of Vyshgorod (Kiev), where it miraculously appeared in the year 1654. In 1662, during the time of war of Russia with Poland (1659-1667), the city was dealt heavy losses by the Crimean Tatars fighting on the side of the Polish. The temple of the holy Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb was destroyed and defiled. But the Providence of God preserved the holy wonderworking icon of the Mother of God, which was taken out of the church beforehand in time and set off along the Dniepr, and the relics of the saints they hid beneathe a crypt. The river carried the icon to the Podola river-bank at Kiev, where it was joyfully taken up by the Orthodox and with due reverence transferred to the Bratsk monastery. In the records of church property of the Kievo-Bratsk monastery, made in the year 1807, was given its description. There existed a “Song about the wonderworking Kievo-Bratsk Icon of the Mother of God”, compiled soon after the year 1692.Celebration of the Kievo-Bratsk Icon of the Mother of God is made thrice within the year: 6 September, 10 May and 2 June. All these days are dedicated to the miraculous appearance of the holy icon in 1654. The original of the icon has not been preserved. The icon copy was written from it “measure for measure”, and is at present located in the Kiev monastery of the Pokrov (Protection) of the Mother of God.
New Martyr Demetrius of Philadelphia (1657) (Greek).
The Holy Martyr Demetrios was born in Philadelphia (Asia Minor) in a Christian family. In his early youth he was snatched away by the Turks and converted to Mahometanism. At age twenty-five, realising that he was torn away from the True faith, he openly confessed himself a Christian, for which he was chopped to pieces by the Turks. The holy martyr accepted suffering and death for Christ in the year 1657.
New Martyr Constantine of the Hagarenes (Mt. Athos) (1819) (Greek).
The Holy Martyr Constantine was born upon the island of Mytilene into a Mahometan family. In his youth he fell ill with smallpox, from which he completely lost his eyesight and awaited death. A certain Christian took him to church and washed him with holy water. They brought him out of the temple completely healthy. After a prolonged searching, he received Baptism on Mount Athos and desired to shed his own blood for Christ. The starets (elder) prescribed him to dwell in seclusion in complete silence, fasting and prayer, for forty days and to put himself upon the will of God. Saint Constantine after this, having received a blessing, confessed his faith in Christ in front of the Turks. After fierce tortures, the judge gave orders to suffocate him. Saint Constantine began his suffering deed for Christ on 23 April, and finished on 2 June 1819.
Hieromartyr Erasmus of Ochrid, who reposed in peace, and 20,000 Martyrs with him (303) (Greek).
“This saint was born in Antioch and lived in the reigns of Diocletian and Maximian. He lived in strict asceticism on Mount Lebanon, and was endowed by God with great wonderworking gifts. As a bishop, he set out to preach the Gospel. Arriving at the city of Ochrid, he restored the son of a man called Anastasius to life by his prayers, and baptised him. At this time, Erazmus baptised many other pagans and tore down the idolatrous altar in Ochrid. For this he was denounced to the Emperor Maximian, who was at that time staying in Illyria. The Emperor brought him before the copper image of Zeus, and ordered him to bring sacrifices and worship the idol. St Erazmus, by his power, caused a terrible dragon to come out of the statue, which terrified all the people. The saint then worked another wonder, and the dragon died. Then the saint preached Christ and baptised 20,000 souls. The furious Emperor commanded that all 20,000 be beheaded, and put Erazmus to harsh torture, before throwing him into prison. But an angel of God appeared to him, as once to the Apostle Peter, and led him out of the prison. After that, this servant of God went to Campania, where he preached the Gospel to the people, then returned again to the town of Hermelia, where he withdrew to a cave and lived in asceticism for the rest of his days. At the time of his death, he prostrated three times towards the East and, with upraised hands, prayed to God to forgive and give eternal life to all those who would, with faith, call upon his name. At the end of his prayer, a voice was heard from heaven: ‘Let it be as thou hast asked, My little healer Erazmus!’ The saint looked up once more to heaven with great joy and saw a wreath of glory descending upon him, and a choir of angels, prophets, apostles and martyrs waiting to receive his holy soul. He finally cried: ‘Lord, receive my spirit!’, and breathed his last, in about the year 303. The cave and chapel of St Erazmus stand to this day not far from Ochrid, and from there is proclaimed to this day the great power of the man of God, Erazmus the hieromartyr.” (Prologue) Note: St Erazmus is commemorated on May 4th in the Slavonic Menaion, but St Nikolai Velomirovich gives today as the date on which he was been commemorated in Ochrid “from time immemorial”.
Additional Saints and Feasts Celebrated Today
Hieromartyr Pothinus, bishop of Lyons (177) ( Gaul ).
St. Blandina and St. Ponticus of Lyons (177) ( Gaul ).
St. Odo, archbishop of Canterbury (959)) (Celtic & British).
New Martyr John of Trebizond (Greek).
Today’s Hymns
St. Nicephorus the Confessor, Patriarch of Constantinople, Troparion,
Tone IV
The truth of things revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith,
a model
of meekness and a teacher of abstinence
wherefore thou hast attained the
heights through humility
and riches through poverty.
O hierarch Nicephorus
our father, entreat Christ God that our souls be saved.
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.
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