Fasting Rules
Saints & Commemorations
Hieromartyr Eutichius
Trans. Rel. Peter, Metr. Kiev
New Hieromartyr Kosmas of Aitolia, Equal-to-the-Apostles (1779)
This recent Equal to the Apostles was born in Mega Dendron (Great Tree) in Aetolia. He became a monk on Mt Athos, where he lived and prayed for many years. But he was troubled by the ignorance of the Gospel that had fallen on many of the Orthodox people, living under the oppression of the Ottoman Turks.
This recent Equal to the Apostles was born in Mega Dendron (Great Tree) in Aetolia. He became a monk on Mt Athos, where he lived and prayed for many years. But he was troubled by the ignorance of the Gospel that had fallen on many of the Orthodox people, living under the oppression of the Ottoman Turks. He went to Constantinople, where he studied the rhetorical arts and received the blessing of Patriarch Seraphim II to preach the Gospel. He travelled throughout Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Albania, preaching at every town he visited. Often not only Greeks but many Muslims would come to hear him, so great was his reputation for holiness. Though he always sought the blessing of the local bishop and the local Turkish governor before he preached in an area, his strong condemnations of dishonest business practices aroused the enmity of Orthodox Christian and Jewish merchants, who falsely accused him to the authorities. He was strangled by the Turks and thrown into a river in Albania, but his wonderworking relics were preserved. He reposed at the age of sixty-five.
Scripture Readings
☩Epistle
2 Corinthians 8:7-15
7
Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
8
I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
9
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
10
And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
11
Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
12
For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
13
For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
14
But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
15
As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
☩Gospel
Mark 3:6-12
6
And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
7
But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judea,
8
And from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.
9
And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.
10
For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.
11
And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.
12
And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.
Liturgical data sourced from OCA.org and orthocal.info