Better Than Birthdays
Instead of simply counting up the years since your physical birth with more candles on a cake, Christians are gifted with a day filled with spiritual blessings that can bear eternal fruit in the Kingdom of light. Are you ready to unwrap your presents?
#birthday #orthodoxy #christian
Saturday May 24, 2025 / May 11, 2025
Fifth Week of Pascha. Tone four.
Hieromartyr Mocius (Mucius), presbyter of Amphipolis in Macedonia (295).
Holy Equals-to-the-Apostles Methodius (885) and Cyril (869), first teachers of the Slavs.
Equal-to-the-Apostles Rostislav, prince of Greater Moravia (870).
New Hieromartyr Michael priest (1920).
New Hieromartyr Alexander archbishop of Kharkov (1940).
Venerable Sophronius, recluse of the Kiev Caves (13th c.).
St. Joseph, metropolitan of Astrakhan (1671).
St. Nicodemus of Pech, archbishop of Serbia (Mt. Athos) (1325).
New Martyrs Dioscorus and Argyrus of Thessalonica (1808) (Greek).
Commemoration of the Founding of Constantinople (330).
Venerable Comgall, founder and abbot of Bangor (ca. 603) (Celtic & British).
St. Bessarion, Archbishop of Larissa (Greek).
Martyr Acacius of Lower Moesia (Greek).
New Martyr Olympia, abbess of Mitylene (1235) (Greek).
Blessed Christesia, called Christopher (1771) (Georgia).
St. Theophylact, bishop of Stavropol and Ekaterinodar (1872).
St. Wiro, Irish missionary bishop to the Netherlands, in Limberg (710) (Celtic & British).
St. Cathan of Bute (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
St. Asaph, bishop of Llanelwy, Wales (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
St. Mayeul, abbot of Cluny (994) (Celtic & British).
St. Tudy, abbot of the Tudy.
St. Comgall, bishop anf founder of Bangor Monastery (601).
St. Bassus.
The name day of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
The Scripture Readings
John 10:9-16 Matins Gospel
9
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
10
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
12
But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
13
The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
14
I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
15
As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
16
And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
35
Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
36
Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.”
37
Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark.
38
But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.
39
Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus;
40
but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God.
41
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
35
Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
36
Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.”
37
Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark.
38
But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.
39
Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus;
40
but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God.
41
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Hebrews 7:26-8:2 Equals-to-the Apostles
26
For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;
27
who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
28
For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.
1
Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
2
a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.
Matthew 5:14-19 Equals-to-the Apostles
14
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15
Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
17
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18
For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
19
Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.