Wednesday Oct 22/Nov 4ns/ 2026 • St. Abérkios, Bishop of Hierápolis, Equal-to-the-Apostles; The Seven Holy Youths of Ephesus - Fast day - I Thess. 2:1-8; St. Luke 9:44-50

Judas betrayed and sold our Lord with a kiss

on a Wednesday

- Fast day -

Wednesday

Oct 22/Nov 4 ns

2026

St. Avérkios, Bishop of Hierápolis,

Equal-to-the-Apostles;

The Seven Holy Youths of Ephesus

During the reigns of Emperor Antoninus and his son, Marcus Aurelius, St. Abérkios was the bishop of the city of Hierapolis in Phrygia. The great majority in this city were pagans, and St. Abercius governed his sparse flock, sorrowing in his heart because of the great number of pagans and idolaters, and diligently praying to God that He would bring them to the light of truth. During a boisterous idolatrous festival, Abérkios became inflamed with God’s zeal and entered the idolatrous temple, smashing all the idols. When the enraged pagans sought to kill him, three young madmen, foaming at the mouth and howling, fell down before this man of God, and he drove the demons from them. The young men became sane and calm. This turned the pagans’ anger into amazement at the wonderworker of Christ, and five hundred of them immediately desired baptism. Little by little, all of Hierapolis came to believe in Christ and were baptized. The proconsul of the province, Publius, had a mother who was blind. Abérkios restored her sight by prayer, and Publius, his mother and many others believed in Christ. In old age, Abérkios was summoned to Rome, where he healed the emperor’s daughter of insanity. The Lord Jesus Christ appeared several times to His faithful follower. People from near and far came to him for miraculous help when they suffered from incurable illnesses. The demons not only feared him, but also served him at his command. At the guidance of the Lord Himself, Abérkios preached the Gospel throughout Syria and Mesopotamia. In great old age, St. Abérkios presented himself to his beloved Lord in Hierapolis, at the end of the second century.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 KJV

For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:

2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:

4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:

6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:

8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

Saint Luke 9:44-50 KJV

9:44 Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.

45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

46 Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.

47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,

48 And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.

49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.

50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

Ascetical homilies are the God-given fruits of guidance and agape granted to those who in asceticism, from the apostles on, gave and give all of their life and love to Christ and His two salvific commands.  If we, in turn, contemplate and reflect on those gifts, they bring crucial clarity not only to scripture, (which can at times be difficult to comprehend and apply for the fallen mind), but also bring clarity to our own personal spiritual status as we take up the Cross and transcend from transient darkness to the Eternal Light of of the Holy Trinity.

R E F L E C T I O N

St. Nikolai

As much as the strictness of holy men toward themselves is a cause for amazement, so also is their compassion toward others. They have disinterest for themselves, and concern for others. St. Hilarion the Great, unable to pay his fare to Sicily, offered the owner of the ship his Gospel (which he, in his youth, had copied with his own hands). When he had cured a certain prince of an unclean spirit, the prince wanted to present him with ten liters of gold. The saint would not accept the gold, but showed him barley bread and said: “Those who feed on this kind of bread look upon gold as mud!” When men begged him to pray to God for rain, or to save them from floods or poisonous snakes, St. Hilarion helped them by his prayer. This is how St. Abérkios acted as well. Seeing many people in pain and sickness, he knelt in a certain place and prayed to God that He would open up a spring of warm, healing water there, that the infirm might be healed and glorify God. God then opened a spring of warm water on that spot. When Abérkios healed the emperor’s daughter of insanity, the emperor offered him gold, silver and other gifts, but St. Abérkios said: “Riches are not needed for one who considers bread and water a royal meal.” Not seeking anything for himself, Abérkios nevertheless begged the emperor to do two favors for his flock in Hierapolis: to build a bath over those healing waters, and to give sufficient wheat each year to the poor of Hierapolis. The emperor agreed and did according to the saint’s request.

A personal vignette of Righteous Job

IF YOU LOVE;

YOU WILL COMFORT

Job was extremely wealthy and had a most blessed large family yet he genuinely loved God above all of it. The fallen angel Lucifer aka Satan, who hates God and us, spoke boldly to God saying that Job didn't love Him but only acted like it because of all the gifts God had given him. When God the Father told Satan he was wrong, Satan challenged and said then take everything away from him, and you will see that he doesn't care about You. God the Father complied and even went so far as allow great physical suffering on Job.

Job, being a man of God would preach the glorification of God. Job had friends who were also very wealthy. And when they saw Job's poverty and suffering they criticized him saying: you preach to us, now practice what you preach. 

 In the end, Job never lost faith and loved God all the more. And what did the Father do as a result? Not only did He restore Job's health, but all his wealth and family. But pay close attention to how God dealt with Job's friends, who told Job to practice what he preached. The Father chastised his friends and since they did not comfort Job but rather judged him, He took all of their riches from them and gave them to Job.

We call ourselves Christians. A Christian turns his other cheek, a Christian gives his cloak when someone asks for his coat and a Christian comforts and doesn't judge.

By the grace and love of our Lord, may He always remind us to be a comfort to one another.

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Tuesday Oct 21Nov 3 ns/2026 • St. Hilarion the Great, Translation of the Relics of St. Christódoulos of Pátmos, Holy Martyr Ursula of Cologne and her companions St. Hilarion: II Cor. 9:6-11; St. Luke 9:23-27

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst
after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Tuesday

Oct 21/Nov 3 ns

2026

St. Hilarion the Great,

Translation of the Relics

of St. Christódoulos of Pátmos,

Holy Martyr Ursula

of Cologne and her companions

Hilarion was the abbot of the Dalmáton monastery in Constantinople. He was a disciple of Gregory of Decapolis and an imitator of the life of Hilarion the Great whose name he took.
Hilarion was powerful in prayer, persevering and courageous in suffering. He suffered much for the sake of icons at the time of the evil iconoclastic emperors, Leo the Armenian and others. Later, the Emperor Leo was slain by his own soldiers in the same church and on the same spot where he first ridiculed holy icons and from which he removed the first icon.

St. Hilarion was then released from prison but only for a short time. Again, he was tortured and detained in prison until the reign of the right-believing Empress Theodora. Hilarion was clairvoyant and a discerner. He saw the angels of God as they were taking the soul of St. Theodore the Studite to heaven. Pleasing God, he fell asleep and entered the Kingdom of God in the year 845 A.D. in his seventieth year.

2 Corinthians 9:6-11 KJV

9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

Saint Luke 9:23-27 KJV

9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

27 But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.

Ascetical homilies are the God-given fruits of guidance and agape granted to those who in asceticism, from the apostles on, gave and give all of their life and love to Christ and His two salvific commands.  If we, in turn, contemplate and reflect on those gifts, they bring crucial clarity not only to scripture, (which can at times be difficult to comprehend and apply for the fallen mind), but also bring clarity to our own personal spiritual status as we take up the Cross and transcend from transient darkness to the Eternal Light of of the Holy Trinity.

THE DEFINITION OF FASTING

There is heroism above heroism and asceticism above asceticism. Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus invited Hilarion the Great to dinner and in order to show the greatest hospitality to his distinguished guest, placed fried chicken on the table and offered it to him. Hilarion said to him: "Forgive me, but ever since I was tonsured a monk, I have eaten nothing butchered." To that Epiphanius replied: "And I, ever since I was tonsured a monk, have never lay down in bed until I first forgave my enemy." Amazed, Hilarion said: "Your virtue is greater than mine, Oh holy master!" This is a great lesson for all of us. Fasting is an admirable thing but it is more admirable to forgive insults.

Through fasting, man is preparing for charity (love) but, by forgiving insults, man shows love. Fasting precedes forgiveness but fasting alone, does not save without forgiveness.

None today

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PARAGON Monday Oct 20/Nov 2 ns /2026/Holy Great Martyr Artémios, St.Matrona of Chíos, Translation of the Relics of St. Gerásimos of Cephallenía/I Thess. 1:1-5; St. Luke 9:18-22

Blessed are the poor in spirit:

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the meek:

for they shall inherit the earth.

His mother saith unto the servants,

Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

Monday

Oct 20/Nov 2 ns

2026

Holy Great Martyr Artémios,

St. Matrona of Chíos,

The Translation of the Relics

of St. Gerásimos of Cephallenía

✜

✜ 

This glorious saint was an Egyptian by birth and the chief commander under Emperor Constantine the Great. When the victorious Cross, surrounded by stars, appeared to Emperor Constantine, Artémios also saw that Cross, believed in the Lord Christ and was baptized. Later, during the reign of Emperor Constantius, this emperor sent him to Greece to remove the relics of St. Andrew from Patras and St. Luke from Thebes, and to take them to Constantinople. Commander Artémios carried this out with joy. After that, Artémios was appointed as Augustalis and imperial prefect in Egypt. He remained in this position during the reign of Constantius, and for a period of time under Emperor Julian the Apostate. When the apostate emperor went to war against the Persians, he came through Antioch and commanded Artémios to come to Antioch with his army. Artémios came. Then the emperor subjected two Christian priests, Eugenius and Macarius, to torture. Seeing this, Artémios became greatly disturbed and, facing the emperor, said: "Why, O Emperor, why do you inhumanly torture these innocent and dedicated men of God, and why do you force them to renounce the Orthodox Faith?'' Artémios continued, prophesying: "Your death is near.'' The enraged emperor sent those two honorable priests into exile to Arabia, where they died shortly thereafter. He then stripped Commander Artémios of his military rank and ordered him to be flogged and torn asunder. Thoroughly wounded and bloodied, Artémios was thrown into prison, where the Lord Jesus Christ Himself appeared to him, and healed and comforted him. Then the emperor commanded that he be spread out on a stone, and that another heavy stone be placed upon him, so that his body would be smashed flat as a board. Finally, St. Artémios was beheaded. It was the year 362. Emperor Julian went out against the Persians and perished dishonorably, as St. Artémios had foretold.

✜

1 Thessalonians 1:1-5 KJV

1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

Saint Luke 9:18-22 KJV

9:18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?

19 They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.

20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.

21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing;

22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

Ascetical homilies are the God-given fruits of guidance and agape granted to those who in asceticism, from the apostles on, gave and give all of their life and love to Christ and His two salvific commands.  If we, in turn, contemplate and reflect on those gifts, they bring crucial clarity not only to scripture, (which can at times be difficult to comprehend and apply for the fallen mind), but also bring clarity to our own personal spiritual status as we take up the Cross and transcend from transient darkness to the Eternal Light of of the Holy Trinity.

The following is a beautiful quote from St. Basil the Great on the Psalms, which to this day, make up the majority of the hymns and services of the Orthodox Church.

When, indeed, the Holy Spirit saw that the human race was guided only with difficulty toward virtue, and that, because of our inclination toward pleasure, we were neglectful of an upright life, what did He do? The delight of melody He mingled with the doctrines so that by the pleasantness and softness of the sound heard we might receive without perceiving it the benefit of the words, just as wise physicians who, when giving the fastidious rather bitter drugs to drink, frequently smear the cup with honey.

Therefore, He devised for us these harmonious melodies of the psalms, that they who are children in age, or even those who are youthful in disposition, might to all appearances chant, but in reality, become trained in soul. For, never has any one of the many indifferent persons gone away easily holding in mind either an apostolic or prophetic message, but they do chant the words of the psalms, even in the home, and they spread them around in the market place, and, if perchance, someone becomes exceedingly wrathful, when he begins to be soothed by the psalm, he departs with the wrath immediately lulled to sleep by means of the melody.

A psalm implies serenity of Soul; it is the author of peace, which calms bewildering and seething thoughts. For, it softens the wrath of the soul, and what is unbridled it chastens. A psalm forms friendships, unites those separated, conciliates those at enmity. Who, indeed, can still consider as an enemy him with whom he has uttered the same prayer to God? So that psalmody, bringing about choral singing, a bond, as it were, toward unity, and joining people into a harmonious union of one choir, produces also the greatest of blessings, love.

A psalm is a city of refuge from the demons; a means of inducing help from the angels, a weapon in fears by night, a rest from the toils of the day, a safeguard for infants, an adornment for those at the height of their vigour, a consolation for the elders, a most fitting ornament for women. It peoples the solitudes; it rids the market places of excesses; it is the elementary exposition of beginners, the improvement of those advancing, the solid support of the perfect, the voice of the Church. It brightens feast days; it creates a sorrow which is in accordance with God. For, a psalm calls forth a tear even from a heart of stone.

A psalm is the work of angels, a heavenly institution, the spiritual incense.

ATHEISTS & AGNOSTICS

OFTEN ASK

If there is a God, why does he let people suffer?

We need not see all of our sins to become humble, meek and lowly like our Lord. We only need to see God’s Divinity and we instantly know who we are and where we stand.

Even physical affection can become tiresome but love itself, is there satiation?

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