Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.
Synaxarion. From the Menaion
On June 20 we commemorate the Our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary, the Synaxis of whose Directress (Hodegetria) Icon we celebrate, at the Xenophontos monastery on Mt Athos.
On this day we commemorate the holy Hieromartyr Methodius of Patara (312)
On this day we commemorate the Translation of the Sacred Relics of the Holy Martyrs Inna, Pinna, and Rimma, disciples of Apostle Andrew in Scythia
On this day we commemorate the Blessed Studius, founder of the Studion Monastery (5th century)
On this day we commemorate the holy Apostles Luke, Andrew, and Thomas; the holy Prophet Elisseus; and the holy Martyr Lazarus of Persia, the deposition of whose sacred relics and garments (c. 960) in the Church of the Holy Apostles we commemorate.
On this day we commemorate the holy Two Ascetics who reposed in peace in the wilderness.
On this day we commemorate the our righteous Father Nahum of Ochrid, disciple of Saints Cyril and Methodius, Enlightener of the Slavs (910)
On this day we commemorate the holy Prince Gleb Andreevich of Vladimir (1175)
Saint Minas, Bishop of Polotsk (1116)
On this day we commemorate the our righteous Father Kallistos Xanthopoulos of Constantinople reposed in peace (1363)
On this day we commemorate the Venerable Nicholas Kabasilas, Byzantine mystic and theological writer, spiritual child of St. Gregory Sinaitis (1392 or 1397)
On this day we commemorate the Saint Guria, Archbishop of Kazan(1563), the translation of whose holy relics we commemorate (1630).
On this day we commemorate the holy New Hieromartyr Raphael of Lesbos (1463), the finding of whose sacred relics we commemorate.
On this day we also commemorate the Holy New Martyr and Confessor of Russia: Alexander (Dyukarev) who suffered and received crowns of martyrdom from the godless satanic authorities of communism in Russia.
On this day we commemorate the Holy Repose of Elder Theodosius Orlov of the Lavra Potshaev, ascetic of the Caucasus (2003)
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Modensk-Kosninsk”. (1717)
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: (Matth. 26, 41)
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5, 16)
The Church of the last times
a vision of Schema-Archimandrite Theodosius (Orlov) of the Lavra Potshaev
Once the elder pondered over the meaning of the figure of a successful catch of fish, which is referred to in the Gospel of John (21:11) – “153”. Father Theodosius began to pray that God would reveal to him the meaning of this figure. And received a revelation. Some three women appeared to him in a vision. The first one was young and beautiful. “This is the Church of the first centuries, in it, out of a hundred Christians a hundred were saved,” a voice from above revealed to him. The second woman was in middle age – “this is the Church of the following centuries, out of a hundred Christians, only half were saved.” The last woman was already a deep old woman – “and this is the Church of the last times, out of a hundred only three are saved in it.”
From the biography of Schema-Archimandrite Theodosius (Orlov) (1906 – 20.06.2003)
https://priest-ruabko.livejournal.com/141638.html
“How shall we be saved?” the spiritual children asked him. “Take an example from Noah and Lot,” replied the elder.
Father Theodosios did not just speak, but shouted to the people: “We are already living in the last times”, and this was the cry of his soul.
The end times are coming, we live in the end times, that’s why we need to love God, to hold fast to the Orthodox Church and above all to take refuge in the Most Holy Theotokos. Build the Kingdom of God within you and then your neighbors will feed on it.
***
The Miracle of the Elder Theodosius Orlov (then called father Akhila) in the Caucasus
“In the 1960’s, the KGB authorities caught everyone who was hiding there, mostly monks, and sent them to correctional camps.
One experienced officer, a member of the party, was given the task of monitoring a group of monks. He watched the monks from the air on the radio and reported all their movements, and soldiers on the ground surrounded them, pressing them to the steep peak, at which they hoped to overtake and arrest them.
The hunt for the monks has been going on for several days and is drawing to a close. The monks had nowhere to go, they climbed to the very top of the mountain, behind them were soldiers with dogs catching up, and in front of them was a bottomless, steep abyss. The officer’s helicopter hovered right above the monks, the pilot let them know that it was all over. Suddenly, something unusual began to happen below. The monks all at once knelt and prayed for a long time, then they got up and went to the edge of the abyss. “Will they really jump? This is certain death! What? Did they decide to commit suicide? ”The helicopter pilot thought with annoyance.
But at this time one of the monks* made the sign of the cross and blessed the abyss with a large cross and with one step, stepped into the gap! But he didn’t fall. For some reason, by some miracle he remained hanging in the air over the abyss and slowly went through the air as if on a path. The other monks followed him and also went through the air one by one, rising up disappeared into the clouds.
This made such a strong impression on the pilot that he even lost control over the airplane fell into the clearing, where he was found and picked up by the soldiers. A few months later, when he recovered, he was called to the special unit for an explanation. Instead of answering, he put a party ticket on the table and asked to be fired. Having retired, this former pilot officer accepted baptism and became a believer.”
https://throughthegraceofgod.wordpress.com/the-miracle-of-the-monks-in-the-caucasus/
*the monk who made the sign of the cross and blessed the abyss was the Elder Theodosius Orlov (then called father Akhila)
The Holy Icon of Panagia of the Akathist and the Holy icon of the Mother of God the Hodegetria or the ‘Directress’.
https://iconandlight.wordpress.com/2020/04/03/41418/
Holy icon of the Mother of God the Hodegetria or the “Guide” or ‘Directress’. by Saint Nikolai Velemirovic
https://iconandlight.wordpress.com/2020/04/03/41418/
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God, and gladdened Thy disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit; and they were assured by the blessing that Thou art the Son of God and Redeemer of the world.
Troparion of Synaxis of the Icon of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos of whose Directress (Hodegetria) at the Xenophontos monastery on Mt Athos.
— Tone 4
Let us sinners and wretched people now run most earnestly to the Theotokos, / and let us fall down in repentance, crying out from the depths of our souls: / “O Sovereign Lady, have compassion on us, / help us, and come quickly, for we are perishing from a multitude of transgressions. / Do not turn thy servants away empty-handed, for we have thee as our only hope.”
Troparion of Martyrs Inna, Pinna, and Rimma
— Tone 4
Your lamb Inna, / calls out to You, O Jesus, in a loud voice: / “I love You, my Bridegroom, / and in seeking You, I endure suffering. / In baptism I was crucified so that I might reign in You, / and I died so that I might live with You. / Accept me as a pure sacrifice, / for I have offered myself in love.” / Through her prayers save our souls, since You are merciful.
Troparion of St Methodius of Patara
— Tone 1
Your blood cries out to God from the earth like that of Abel, / divinely-wise holy hierarch, Methodius. / You openly preached the Incarnation of God, / putting the heresy of Origen to shame. / You were translated to the heavenly bridal chamber: / Pray to Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Troparion of St Kallistos Xanthopoulos of Constantinople
Tone 4
The truth of things revealed thee to thy flock/ as a rule of faith, a model of meekness, and a teacher of temperance./ Therefore thou hast won the heights by humility, riches by poverty./ Holy Father Kallistos, intercede with Christ our God/ that our souls may be saved.
Apolytikion of St Kallistos Xanthopoulos of Constantinople
— Tone 1
Proving to be a wise Patriarch of the Queen City, and the boast of Mount Athos, the treasure of Serres, the friend and advocate of the divine hesychasts of Christ, wherefore all of us Father Kallistos with joy sing hymns and cry out: Glory to Christ Who glorified you, glory to Him Who made you wondrous, glory to Him Who through you gives to us that which is beautiful.
Apolytikion St. Theodosius Orlov of the Lavra Potshaev, ascetic of the Caucasus
in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
In thee the image was preserved with exactness, O Father; for taking up thy cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to overlook the flesh, for it passeth away, but to attend to the soul since it is immortal. Wherefore, O righteous Theodosius, thy spirit rejoiceth with the Angels.
Apolytikon Sts Raphael, Nicholas and Irene of Lesvos
in the Fourth Tone
Having contended on Lesvos for the sake of Christ God, you have sanctified the island since the discovery of your sacred relics, O blessed ones; for what reason we honour you, O God-bearing Raphael, together with Nicholas and virgin Irene, as our divine protectors and intercessors with the Lord.
Megalynaria.
Higher than the heavens above are you, and you are much purer than the radiance of the sun; You who have redeemed us From the curse which is upon us; The Lady of all people,
In hymns, do we honor you.
Speechless be the lips of impious ones, those who do not reverence your great icon, the sacred one which is called Directress, and was depicted for us by one of the apostles,
Luke the Evangelist.
With the hosts of Angels, God’s messengers, with the Lord’s Forerunner, and Apostles, the chosen twelve, with the saints most holy, and with you, the Theotokos, we seek your intercession for our salvation.
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