Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him forever!
Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!
Saints of the Day
April 23 / May 6. Holy Glorious Great-martyr and Victory-bearer and Wonderworker George. Martyrs Anatolius and Protoleon, soldiers converted by witnessing the martyrdom of St. George. Martyr Alexandra the Empress (also 21 Apr). Martyrs Glycerius, Athanasius the Magician, Valerius, Donatus, and Therinus at Nicomedia. Blessed George of Shenkursk, fool-for-Christ. New-Martyr George of Ptolomais. New-Martyr Lazarus of Bulgaria who suffered at Pergamus. New-Martyr Priest Egor (George) of the Spas-Chekriak village (1918).
Photo of the Day
The monastery’s trapeza.
Quote of the Day
“We confess, then, that He [Christ] assumed all the natural and innocent passions of man. For He assumed the whole man and all man’s attributes save sin. For that is not natural, nor is it implanted in us by the Creator, but arises voluntarily in our mode of life as the result of a further implantation by the devil, though it cannot prevail over us by force. For the natural and innocent passions are those which are not in our power, but which have entered into the life of man owing to the condemnation by reason of the transgression; such as hunger, thirst, weariness, labour, the tears, the corruption, the shrinking from death, the fear, the agony with the bloody sweat, the succour at the hands of angels because of the weakness of the nature, and other such like passions which belong by nature to every man.”
St. John of Damascus.
Scripture Readings for the Day
Acts 8:18-25
18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”
24 Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”
25 So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
John 6:35-39
35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
Dear Father,<br />Please excuse my ignorance, but could elaborate regarding what “trapeza” is? I’ve not heard the term before, possibly since we’re new to Orthodoxy and haven’t visited a monastery.<br />Thank you! Rebecca