Fasting Guidelines
Apodosis of the Ascension. Tone six.
Fast. Fish Allowed
Today’s Commemorations
- Translation of the relics of Great-martyr Theodore Stratelates (319).
- St. Theodore , bishop of Rostov and Suzdal (1023).
- Finding of the relics (1501) of Sts. Basil (1249) and Constantine (1257), princes of Yaroslavl.
- Venerable Ephraim , patriarch of Antioch (546).
- Venerable Zosimas , monk, of Phoenicia (Syria) (6th c.).
- “Yaroslavl” (13th c.) and “Uriupinsk” (1827) Icons of the Mother of God.
- New Martyr Theophanes at Constantinople (1559) (Greek).
- Venerable Atre (Athre) of Nitria (Egypt).
- Venerable Naucratius, abbot of the Studion (848).
- Venerable Theophilus of Luga and Omutch (1412), disciple of St. Arsenius of Konevits (Valaam).
- Martyrs Nicander and Marcian at Dorostulum in Moesia (303) (Romania).
- St. Medardus, bishop of Noyon (560) (Neth.).
- Translation of the relics of Hieromartyr Alphege, abbot of Canterbury.
- Martyr Callopia (Greek).
- Venerable Melania the Elder, of Palladius’ Lausiac History (Greek).
- Martyr Nicander (Greek).
- Martyr Mark (Greek).
- New Hieromartyrs Barlaam (1942) and his brother Herman (1937) (Riaschentsov) (1937).
- St. Paul the Confessor, of Kaiuma in Constantinople (766).
- Holy Hieromartyr Tevdore of Kvelta (1609) (Georgia).
- Synaxis of the Church of the Cross at Mtskheta, Georgia (Georgia).
Scripture Readings
Acts 27:1-44
And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of the Augustan Regiment. So, entering a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, meaning to sail along the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us. And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him liberty to go to his friends and receive care. When we had put to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. And when we had sailed over the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy, and he put us on board. When we had sailed slowly many days, and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, the wind not permitting us to proceed, we sailed under the shelter of Crete off Salmone. Passing it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.” Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul. And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening toward the southwest and northwest, and winter there. When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete. But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon. So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive. And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty. When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship; and fearing lest they should run aground on the Syrtis Sands, they struck sail and so were driven. And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands. Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up. But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. However, we must run aground on a certain island. Now when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land. And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and when they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms. Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come. And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off. And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing. Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you. And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat. Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves. And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship. So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea. When it was day, they did not recognize the land; but they observed a bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible. And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore. But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves. And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape. But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.
John 17:18-26
As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.
Saints and Feasts Celebrated Today
Translation of the relics of Great-martyr Theodore Stratelates (319). 
The Holy GreatMartyr Theodore Stratelates suffered for Christ in Herakleia on 8 February 319. At the time of his sufferings the holy Greatmartyr Theodore ordered his servant Uaros to bury his body on the estate of his parents in Eukhaitos. The transfer of the relics of the Greatmartyr Theodore was done on 8 June 319. On this day also is remembered a miracle from an image of the Greatmartyr Theodore in a church of his name, at a place called Karsata, near about Damascus. The Saracens had turned this church into a residence. One of the Saracens shot an arrow into the image of the greatmartyr. From the shoulder of the saint, where the arrow had stuck into the wall, blood flowed forth in front of the eyes of everyone. A short while later, the Saracens who had settled in the church, killed each other. Accounts about this miracle are given by the holy Patriarch Anastasias of Antioch (+ 599, Comm. 20 April) and the Monk John Damascene (+ c. 780, Comm. 4 December).
St. Theodore , bishop of Rostov and Suzdal (1023). 
By birth a Greek, the first bishop of Rostov, he was enthroned as bishop in the year 991. At that time pagans occupied the Rostov territory and St. Theodore had much work to do to enlighten them in the Christian faith. The rough and wild pagans rendered many insults to the hierarch and once even drove him away. St. Theodore then settled in Suzdal and here enlightened many by the light of the true faith and after much apostolic labor he died in Suzdal. Not much is known about the last years of the life of St. Theodore. He died in the year 1023. His uncovered relics lie in the Suzdal Theotokos-Nativity Cathedral.
Finding of the relics (1501) of Sts. Basil (1249) and Constantine (1257), princes of Yaroslavl. 
The Repose of Nobleborn Princes Vasilii and Konstantin Vsevolodovich of Yaroslavsk: In their youth they lost their father, Vsevolod, who fell in battle with the Tatars (Mongols). Saint Vasilii, the elder brother, succeeded to the throne. A multitude of concerns, tasks and sorrows beset him as prince. The city and the villages were devastated from the invasion of the Tatars, many households remained without shelter and food, and he had to concern himself about everything and about everyone. Besides this, it was necessary to gain the good-will of the Tatar khan, and the holy prince more than once made journey for this reason to the Horde. He suffered also a family misfortune – the loss of his only son. All his tribulations the holy prince suffered without complaint, and he ruled the princedom, like a true Christian: he did not enter into disputes with other princes, he concerned himself over the misfortunate among his subjects, and he built churches. But soon his life, filled with many sorrows, exhausted the strength of the prince, and he took sick and died in the year 1249. After him holy Prince Konstantin succeeded to the throne. He strove to imitate his brother, but to his great dismay, everywhere he saw pillage and murdering done by the Tatars. In 1257 the Tatars fell upon Yaroslavl’ itself. The prince came out to fight the enemy, but here in this battle he gave up his life for his country. In the year 1501 the relics of the holy princes were uncovered undecayed and now rest in the Yaroslavsk cathedral.
“Yaroslavl” (13th c.) and “Uriupinsk” (1827) Icons of the Mother of God. 
The Yaroslavsk Icon of the Mother of God belonged to the holy nobleborn Princes Vasilii and Konstantin (comm. 3 July). In honour of the wonderworking icon, there was dedicated a lower temple of the Ilinsk church of the city of Yaroslavl’.
Holy Hieromartyr Tevdore of Kvelta (1609) (Georgia). 
Saint Tevdore was a simple priest who labored in the 16th century in the village of Kvelta. At that time the Ottoman Empire and Persia were locked in a bitter feud over control of the Near East. At the beginning of 1609 the Ottomans conquered first the city of Baghdadi, then part of Samtskhe in southern Georgia. In June of that year they launched an attack on eastern Georgia. At that time the Georgian ruler was the young King Luarsab II. When the Ottomans penetrated Kartli, the king was absent, abiding in his summer residence, Tskhireti Castle. But the Ottomans knew the location of his castle, and they also knew that his troops were small in number. They plotted to lay siege to the castle, capture the king, and ultimately annex all of Georgia. The Ottomans quickly crossed the Trialeti mountain range and advanced into Manglisi, pillaging the lands and laying waste to the people as they went. Miraculously, the Manglisi Church of the Most Holy Mother of God remained unharmed. One chronicler wrote: A dense fog surrounded the church and village, concealing it from the enemy… St. Luarsab had received no warning of the attack, and the enemy was just minutes from his castle. In the village of Kvelta, not far fromManglisi, the Turks captured the priest Tevdore, a man sincere before God and devoted to his king and motherland. Fr. Tevdore was unable to escape to the woods with the other villagers, so he locked the doors to the church and concealed its sacred treasures. When the Ottoman Turks found Fr. Tevdore, they commanded him to lead them to Tskhireti Castle and threatened to kill him if he refused. Hoping to deceive them, Tevdore led the Ottomans along a narrow, rocky mountain path away from Tskhireti Castle. Many horses and soldiers fell from the path to their deaths. But after some time the Ottomans realized that the priest had led them in the wrong direction. Embittered and hungry for revenge, they beheaded Fr. Tevdore. As a result of St. Tevdores great sacrifice, St. Luarsab had time to strengthen his fortifications, assemble his armies, and finally annihilate the enemy.
Venerable Ephraim , patriarch of Antioch (546).
Sainted Ephrem, Patriarch of Antioch, a Syrian, was a military general under the emperors Anastasias (491-518) and Justin (518-527). The saint was distinguished for his virtue, piety, and compassion for all the destitute. In the year 526 the Lord punished Antioch for the straying of christians into the heresies of Nestorius and Eutykhes: an earthquake destroyed this magnificent city. A large number of the inhabitants perished. Patriarch Euphrasios was crushed beneathe a fallen column. The emperor summoned Saint Ephrem for the restoration of the ruined city. One of his workers, a bishop, – who because of his obscure doings had withdrawn from being a bishop, predicted to Saint Ephrem his election to the patriarchal throne and asked him not to abandon deeds of charity and to struggle firmly against the heretics. In the year 527 Saint Ephrem was elected to the patriarchal throne. He firmly and wisely governed his flock and by the example of his life, by his sermons and letters he defended it against heretical teachings. A notion about the strength of his faith is given by the following event. Near Herakleia was a pillar-dweller practising asceticism, who had fallen into heresy. Learning about the ascetic, Saint Ephrem went to him and urged him to be re-united to the Orthodox Church. The pillar-dweller was not agreeable. He decided to frighten the patriarch and he offered to kindle a large bon-fire, so that they both might enter the fire. The bon-fire was set, but the pillar-dweller did not dare to go into it. The patriarch prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ to show that his was the correct faith and, removing his omophorion, he put it in the bon-fire. After three hours the fire-wood was consumed, but the omophorion of the saint was taken out unharmed. The pillar-dweller recanted from heresy and was re-united to the Church. Holy Patriarch Ephrem peacefully expired to the Lord in the year 425. Among his labours, Sainted Ephrem defended the teaching of the Orthodox Church about the union in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ of two natures – the Divine and the human.
Venerable Zosimas , monk, of Phoenicia (Syria) (6th c.).
The Monk Zosima of Phoenicia was born in the Syrian village of Synda, near the city of Tyre. He accepted monasticism and was zealous as an ascetic by his fasting, prayer, labours and other virtues. The monk received from God the gift of perspicacity. When he was at Caesarea, he foresaw the terrible earthquake which destroyed Antioch in the year 526. One time, the patrician Arkesilaos visited the monk. During this while a messenger informed Arkesilaos, that his wife had punctured her eye with a needle and was suffering terribly. But the monk put his guest at ease and said, that the Caesarea Sainted-bishop John Khozevites (Comm. 3 October) had his wife. The Monk Zosima attained to such a degree of spiritual accomplishment, that wild beasts were submissive to him. One time on the way to Caesarea an hungry lion pounced upon the donkey of the monk, and dragged it away and started eating. Finding the beast, the monk said: “Friend, I have not the strength to carry the load because of old age. Do thou carry it, and then return into the wilderness and again be fierce according to thy nature”. The lion meekly carried the load to Caesarea, where the monk set him free.
New Martyr Theophanes at Constantinople (1559) (Greek).
In his youth he was enticed into Islam, but he soon repented and accepted monasticism. Wishing to redeem his denial through blood, he, when he was in Constantinople, confessed himself a Christian. For that reason the Turks seized him and after the cruelest torture they burnt him on bed of iron spikes (iron lattice), in the year 1559.
Venerable Atre (Athre) of Nitria (Egypt).
The Monk Aphre was a student of the Monk Horus of Nitreia (+ c. 390, Comm. 7 August). He pursued asceticism in Egypt, and died during the V Century.
Venerable Naucratius, abbot of the Studion (848).
The Monk Naukratios, a student of the Monk Theodore the Studite (Comm. 11 November), because of his devotion to Orthodoxy and veneration of holy icons, was subjected to persecution by the iconoclasts. After the condemnation of the Iconoclast heresy he returned from exile and was made hegumen of the Studite monastery. he died in 848.
Venerable Melania the Elder, of Palladius’ Lausiac History (Greek).
The Nun Melania was by birth the grandmother of Saint Melania the Roman (+ 431, Comm. 31 December).
St. Paul the Confessor, of Kaiuma in Constantinople (766).
The Holy Martyr Paul of Kaium was born and raised at Constantinople. For denouncing the emperor Constantine Kopronymos (740-775) in the Iconoclast controversy, the saint was sent to prison. Under interrogation the martyr remained unyielding. They cut off his nose, poured on his head boiling brimstone with pitch, blinded his eyes and with bound legs they dragged him along the street. The saint died from his torments on 8 June 766. 122 years later his unperished relics were discovered at the Kaium monastery and put in a church of the Most Holy Mother of God. in the year 1222 the holy relics were transferred from Constantinople to Venice.
Additional Saints and Feasts Celebrated Today
Venerable Theophilus of Luga and Omutch (1412), disciple of St. Arsenius of Konevits (Valaam).
Martyrs Nicander and Marcian at Dorostulum in Moesia (303) (Romania).
St. Medardus, bishop of Noyon (560) (Neth.).
Translation of the relics of Hieromartyr Alphege, abbot of Canterbury.
Martyr Callopia (Greek).
Martyr Nicander (Greek).
Martyr Mark (Greek).
New Hieromartyrs Barlaam (1942) and his brother Herman (1937) (Riaschentsov) (1937).
Synaxis of the Church of the Cross at Mtskheta, Georgia (Georgia).
Today’s Hymns
Holy Great Martyr Theodore the General, Troparion, Tone IV
Through true recruitment
didst thou become a most comely general of the
heavenly King,
O passion-bearer Theodore;
for with the weaponry of faith thou
didst wisely array thyself,
didst vanquish legions of demons and didst show
thyself forth as a victorious athlete.
Wherefore, with faith do we ever bless
thee.
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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