Thursday July 16, 2026 / July 3, 2026
7th Week after Pentecost. Tone five.
Martyr Hyacinth of Caesarea in Cappadocia.
Translation of the relics (1652) of Hieromartyr Philip, metropolitan of Moscow (1569).
New Hieromartyr Anthony, archbishop of Archangelsk (1931).Uncovering of the relics of Sylvester, bishop of Omsk (2005).
Venerable Anatolius, of the Near Caves in Kiev (12th c.).St. Anatolius (another) recluse of the Far Caves in Kiev (13th c.).Holy Princes Basil (1249) and Constantine (1257) of Yaroslavl.Repose of St. Basil, bishop of Ryazan (1295).Venerables John and Longinus, wonderworkers of Yarenga (Solovki) (1544-45).Blessed John of Moscow, fool-for-Christ (1589).Venerable Nicodemus, abbot of Kozha Lake (1640).Martyrs Diomedes, Eulampius, Asclepiodotus, and Golinduc of Caesarea in Cappadocia (108).Martyrs Mocius (Mucian) and Mark (4th c.).Venerable Alexander, founder of the Monastery of the Unsleeping Ones (430).St. Anatolius, patriarch of Constantinople (458).Venerable Isaiah the Solitary of Seeds and Palestine (370). Blessed Michael, Herodion, Basil, and Thomas, fools-for-Christ of Solvychegodsk (17th c.). St. Germanus, bishop of the Isle of Man and enlightener of Peel, nephew of St. Patrick of Ireland (5th c.) (Celtic & British).Martyrs Theodotus and Theodota, martyred with St. Hyacinth (Greek). Venerable Gerasimus the New of Carpenision (1812) (Greek).St. Claudianus, patriarch of Alexandria (167).St. Anatolius, bishop of Laodicea, and his successor, St. Eusebius (3rd c.).St. Symeon, the third stylite of Cilicia (6th c.).St. George the God-bearer of the Black Mountain, teacher of St. George of Mt. Athos (10th c.)St. Basil, archbishop of Novgorod (1352).The Scripture Readings
Luke 6:17-23 Matins Gospel1 Corinthians 7:24-35
Matthew 15:12-21
Hebrews 13:17-21 Hieromartyr Philip
John 10:9-16 Hieromartyr Philip
Full Liturgical Calendar | Monastery Service Schedule
Prologue of Ohrid — Daily Reading
July 03 according to the Church Calendar
1. THE HOLY MARTYR HYACINTHUS
Hyacinthus was a young man and a courtier at the court of Emperor Trajan. Secretly, he was a Christian. At one time when Emperor Trajan and his entire court solemnly offered sacrifices to the idols, Hyacinthus refrained from this abominable solemnity. For that he was accused and brought before the emperor to be judged. The emperor counseled him to deny Christ and to offer sacrifices to the idols. Hyacinthus remained as firm as a diamond and said to the emperor: "I am a Christian and I honor Christ. Him I worship and to Him alone do I offer myself as a living sacrifice." Beaten, spat upon and scraped, this holy martyr was thrown into prison. By order of the emperor, he was given nothing to eat except the sacrifices offered before the idols. Hyacinthus refused to partake of them and after eight days died in prison. The prison guards saw two radiant angels in the prison: one angel covering the body of the martyred Hyacinthus with his radiant vesture and the other angel placing a glorious wreath on his head. The entire prison was illuminated and aromatic. The youthful Hyacinthus honorably suffered and was crowned with eternal glory in the year 108 A.D.
2. SAINT ANATOLIUS, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE
At first, Anatolius was a presbyter in the Church at Alexandria and following the death of Patriarch Flavian, he was elevated to the patriarchal throne of Constantinople in the year 449 A.D. During his reign, the throne of Constantinople was recognized as equal to the throne of Rome by the Ecumenical Council held at Chalcedon in 451 A.D. He struggled greatly for the purity of the Orthodox Faith, suffered much at the hands of the heretics and finally was slain by them in the year 458 A.D. during the reign of Pope Leo the Great. Anatolius governed the church for nearly nine years and took up his habitation among the holy hierarchs in the Kingdom of God.
3. THE VENERABLE ALEXANDER [AKIMETES]
Alexander was born in Asia, educated in Constantinople and after the completion of his schooling he devoted himself to military service and attained the rank of an officer. Reading Holy Scripture, he came across the words of the Savior: "If you seek perfection, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor. You will then have treasure in heaven. Afterward come back and follow me" (St. Matthew 19:21). These words had such an effect on Alexander that he immediately sold and distributed all that he had and withdrew into the wilderness. After many mortifications and labors in purifying himself, he established a monastery of the Sleepless Ones with a special constitution according to this rule: the divine services [offices] were carried on night and day without interruption in his community. The brotherhood was divided into twenty-four relays [cursus]. Each relay knew their hour of the day and night and went to church to continue the reading and singing of the preceding relay. Carrying nothing with him, Alexander traveled much throughout the eastern regions enlightening men with the Faith of Christ. Alexander disputed with heretics, worked miracles by the Grace of God, grew old serving the Lord and finally ended his earthly life in Constantinople in the year 430 A.D. where his relics manifested miraculous power and glory through which God glorifies His holy servants.
4. VENERABLE ISAIAH, THE RECLUSE [ANCHORITE]
Isaiah lived a life of asceticism in the Egyptian Scete during the fifth and sixth centuries. He is mentioned in the book of Saints Barsanuphius and John (Reply 249 and others) as a man possessing exceptional sanctity. He wrote many instructions for monks and anchorites. Of his works, very little remains and much was destroyed by the Muslims. St. Isaiah said: "The mind, before it awakens from the sleep of slothfulness, resides with the demons." "The crown of all good works consists in this: that a man place all his hope in God; that he finds recourse in Him once and for all with his heart and strength; that he be filled with compassion for all and weep before God, imploring His help and mercy." What is the sign to man that a certain sin is forgiven? "The sign that a sin is forgiven is that the sin does not generate any activity in your heart and that you have forgotten it to such a degree that in conversation about a similar sin you do not feel any inclination toward that sin but rather consider it something totally foreign to you. That is the sign that you are completely pardoned." In vain are prayer and mortification to a man who conceals within himself malice toward his neighbor and the desire for revenge. "Watch with all your strength that you do not speak one thing with your mouth and have something else in your heart." "The crown of good works is love; the crown of passions is the justification of one's sins."