Saturday
August 24
September 5 new style
2026
we commemorate and honor
• The Apodosis of the Dormition
of the Theotokos
Holy Martyr Loúppos,
Holy Hieromartyr Irenæus
of Lyons
When Emperor Maximian beheaded St. Demetrius, Loúppos dipped the hem of his garment and his ring in the blood of the martyr. With this garment and ring, Loúppos worked many miracles in Thessalonica, healing people of every pain and infirmity.
Emperor Maximian, who was then still residing in Thessalonica, discovered this and ordered that Loúppos be tortured and killed. However, the soldiers who took up weapons against Loúppos turned against one another and severely wounded themselves. As he was not yet baptized, even though he was a Christian, Loúppos prayed to God that He would somehow plan his baptism before his death. At that moment, rain unexpectedly fell from the clouds upon this holy martyr and thus he received baptism from on high.
After great sufferings, Loúppos was beheaded and took up habitation in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Apodosis: Philippians 2:5-11
King James Version
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Apodosis: Saint Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-28
King James Version
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
Day: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
King James Version
4 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
Day: SaintMatthew 23:1-12
King James Version
23 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
St. Matthew 26:40 KJV
Can we even remotely conceived that our savior and creator Christ, Who, in less than the blink of an eye, bring all things into being, condescend in extreme humility, to become one us in the flesh? It's not his human nature obvious in his comment to the Holy Apostle. Peter?
Types of Sin
by St. Isaac the Syrian
One type of sin that occurs is when the fighter cares for virtue and insists on working for it day and night, but does not succeed and falls into some sin. It may be that through ignorance, or from various causes, contrary to the path of virtue, or from the waves of passions that rise up in his members from time to time, or from the spiritual paralysis that may happen to him in order to test his free will, the scales tilt a little on the left yoke, so he is drawn by the weakness of the flesh to some sin, and he regrets and worries and groans with pain of soul for this suffering of his.
Another kind of sin is when a man becomes infatuated and neglects the work of virtue, and completely abandons its right path, and runs like an obedient slave to the enjoyment of sins, and shows zeal in inventing new ways for the full enjoyment of pleasure. In doing this, he is ready, like a captive slave, to do with special care the will of his enemy, and to offer the members of his body as weapons to the orders of the devil. And the unfortunate man does not remember repentance at all, nor does it cross his mind to leave his destructive path and return to virtue.
The first kind of sin, which I mentioned, is when a man slips and falls while walking on the path of virtue and righteousness. This is what the Fathers mean when they say that, on the path of God, we encounter both falls, and opposition from the enemy, and compulsions, and the like. While the second type of sin, which I mentioned, is for the soul to fall, and to be lost, and to completely abandon the struggle.
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