Daily Devotional

Scripture Readings

Paschalion — Movable Calendar

Thursday of the Third Week

Epistle

The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans [§ 98]. Brethren:

8 ²²We know that the whole creation groaneth together and travaileth together until now. ²³And not only so, but we ourselves also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly awaiting adoption, the redemption of our body. ²⁴For we were saved by hope. But hope which is seen is not hope; for what anyone seeth, why doth he yet hope? ²⁵But if we hope for what we see not, with patience we eagerly wait. ²⁶And likewise, the Spirit also helpeth us in our weaknesses. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedeth for us with unutterable groanings. ²⁷And the one who searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit, because according to God he intercedeth for the saints.

Gospel

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew [§ 37]. The Lord said to His disciples:

10 ²³“Whenever they persecute you in this city, flee ye to another; for verily I say to you, in no wise shall ye finish the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man should come. ²⁴“A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above his lord. ²⁵“It is enough for the disciple that he should become as his teacher, and the slave as his lord. If they called the Master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of His household? ²⁶“Therefore do not become afraid of them. For nothing is covered which shall not be uncovered, and hidden which shall not be known. ²⁷“What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what ye hear in the ear, proclaim upon the housetops. ²⁸“And do not become afraid because of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear the One Who is able to send away both soul and body into Gehenna. ²⁹“Two little sparrows are sold for an assarium, are they not? And not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father. ³⁰“But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹“Therefore do not become afraid; ye excel many sparrows.”

Menaion — Fixed Calendar

The commemoration of Hieromartyr Dorotheos, Bishop of Tyre.

No readings given.

Lives of the Saints (Prologue)

June 18th – Civil Calendar
June 5th – Church Calendar

1. The Hieromartyr Dorotheos, Bishop of Tyre.

He was Bishop of Tyre from the time of Diocletian right up to the time of Julian the Apostate, under whom he was tortured and suffered for the Orthodox Faith. He lived on earth to the age of 107, and being pleasing to God, entered into eternal life in 361. He was a great scholar and wrote many learned books both in Greek and Latin.

2. Our Holy Father Theodore the Hermit, the Wonder-worker.

He purified his heart by long asceticism in the Jordan wilderness and received from God the gift of wonder-working. When he was at one time travelling by ship from Constantinople, his ship went off course and there was no drinking water left in her. When all the travellers were close to death from thirst, Theodore raised his arms to heaven, prayed to God and made the sign of the Cross over the sea. He then told the sailors to draw water from the sea and drink it; and when they did so, they found the water fresh. They all began to pay homage to Theodore, but he begged them to thank, not him, but the Lord God, Who had performed that wonder out of His love for mankind. He died peacefully in 583.

3. Our Holy Father Anoub.

One of the great Egyptian monks, he suffered greatly for the true Faith. When, at the time of his death, three old hermits visited him, he, gifted with discernment, revealed to them all the secrets of their hearts. He died peacefully some time in the second half of the 5th century.

4. Blessed Igor, Prince of Chernigov and Kiev.

Persecuted by his kinsfolk, he left the world and became a monk. The citizens of Kiev, disgusted with the Olgovitch dynasty, determined to exterminate it. They hurried to the monastery, seized the young and innocent schema-monk and killed him. For this evil-doing, much misfortune fell on the inhabitants of Kiev, but candles were several times seen to light of themselves on the grave of this blessed monk, and a fiery column appeared over the church where he was buried. This was in 1147.

5. Our Holy Father Peter of Koriša.

He was born in the village of Koriša, in sight of the monastery of St. Mark near Prizren (others suggest a village near Peć). As a young man, he ploughed with a one-eyed ox. He was unusually meek and mild of temper. With his sister Helena, he early began ascetic practices and lived long in strict asceticism. He showed himself the victor in difficult struggles with diabolical temptations. Many monks gathered round him, and he was guide to them all. Fleeing the praise of men, he hid for a time by the Black River, where St. Janik of Devič later lived in asceticism. He entered into rest in old age in his cave at Koriša. The night of his death, the light of many candles was seen in his cave, and an angelic choir was heard. King Dugan built a church over his wonder-working relics, which became a dependency of Hilandar. In more recent times, St. Peter’s relics were taken to the Black River, where they are preserved to this day.

6. Blessed Constantine, Metropolitan of Kiev.

In the days of the blessed Prince Igor, when there was great unrest and intrigue among the princes of Russia, there was also disorder in the Church and frequent changes of hierarch. Thus, after the death of Metropolitan Michael of Kiev, Prince Izyaslav took a learned monk, Klim, as metropolitan, not seeking the blessing of the Patriarch of Constantinople as had been the custom from the earliest times. The patriarch sent this Metropolitan Constantine to investigate the matter, and Constantine deposed Klim and exiled all the priests whom he had ordained. This led to a division among the people, some upholding Klim and some Constantine. Then, at the request of the princes, the patriarch sent a third, Theodore, and both Klim and Constantine were removed. When Constantine died, in 1159, his will was opened. In it he had written that he was not to be buried, but cast out for the dogs to eat, for he saw himself as guilty of having sown discord in the Church. Not daring to go against his wishes, but with great fear notwithstanding, they took his body and threw it outside, where it lay for three days. During these three days, there was terrible thunder over Kiev; lightning flashed, thunderbolts dropped and there were earth tremors. Eight people were killed by lightning, and three fiery columns were seen above Constantine’s body. Seeing all this, the Prince of Kiev ordered that his body be taken and buried in the church in which Igor’s tomb was situated, and the natural world immediately became calm. Thus God justified His humble servant.

FOR CONSIDERATION

Never break the fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. This fast is ordained by the Church, and is well-attested. If, at any time in your life, you break this fast, pray for forgiveness and do not sin again. Devout people do not regard themselves as dispensed from this fast either when travelling or in sickness. St. Pachomios once met some people who were carrying a corpse, and saw two angels in the funeral procession. He asked God to reveal to him the mystery of the presence of the two angels at the burial of this man. What special good had he done that two angels should escort him to the grave? Then, by the providence of God, the two angels came across to Pachomios and explained to him: ‘One of us is the angel of Wednesday, and the other the angel of Friday. As this man fasted every Wednesday and Friday right up to his death, we are giving his corpse a solemn escort. As he kept the fast up to his death, so we are here to glorify him.’

Daily Scripture Readings taken from The Orthodox New Testament, translated and published by Holy Apostles Convent, Buena Vista, Colorado, copyright © 2000, used with permission, all rights reserved.

Daily Prologue Readings taken from The Prologue of Ochrid, by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic, translated by Mother Maria, published by Lazarica Press, Birmingham, England, copyright © 1985, all rights reserved. Edited by Dormition Skete.