CATECHESIS & DAILY INSPIRATION
The Holy Great-martyr Demetrius the Myrrh-gusher, of Thessalonica (306)
Reflections and Daily Inspiration
...do not become despondent but humble yourself all the more, placing all your hope in the Lord, in His mercy and His help. This is the proper disposition of soul. It cannot be attained, however, without experience and without repeat­edly falling and getting up in one’s thoughts
TODAY'S RECOMMENDATION
The Orthodox Liturgical Year
(Discovering Orthodox Christianity)

Featuring Rev. Dr. Philip Zymaris and Rev. Fr. John Vlahos

Discussion Questions:
1. The Orthodox Church has a rich liturgical life. How did it come to exist?
2. What is worship and how is it expressed?
3. How important is it for Orthodox Christians to attend church worship?
4. What do we mean when we say Liturgical Year?
5. How do we fast as the Church wants us to fast?
6. How does the Liturgical Year take us annually through the life of Christ?

FROM THE NEWS
Romanian films at Byzanfest feature St. Nicholas and the children from Valea Plopului

Two Romanian films are registered in the Byzanfest Orthodox Film Festival, which is unfolding online between October 23 and November 8: a psychological drama where the main character turns out to be St Nicholas and a documentary showing an educational game with the children from the Orthodox Valea Plopului settlement.

International monastic symposium in the monastery of Prohor of Pcinja

On the occasion of the great jubilee - 950 years of the monastery of the Venerable Prohor of Pcinja in the Diocese of Vranje - an international monastic symposium entitled "950 years of the Venerable Prohor Pčinjski" was held on October 30 and 31, 2020.

Read More: http://spc.rs
SAINT OF THE DAY

NOVEMBER 8 / OCTOBER 26
The Holy Great-martyr Demetrius the Myrrh-gusher, of Thessalonica (306)

This glorious and wonderworking saint was born in Thessalonica of noble and devout parents. Implored of God by childless parents, Deme- trius was their only son, and so was raised and educated with great care. Demetrius’s father was a commander in Thessalonica. When his father died, Emperor Maximian appointed Demetrius as commander in his place. As he appointed him, Maximian, an opponent of Christ, particularly recommended that he persecute and exterminate the Christians in Thessalonica. Demetrius not only disobeyed the emperor but openly confessed and preached the Lord Jesus Christ in the city of Thessalonica. When the emperor heard of this he became furious with Demetrius. Then, when he was returning from battle against the Sarmatians, Maximian stopped at Thessalonica to investigate the matter. The emperor summoned Demetrius questioned him about his faith. Demetrius openly acknowledged his Christian Faith to the emperor and also denounced the emperor’s idolatry. Maximian cast Demetrius into prison. Knowing what was awaiting him, Demetrius gave all his goods to his faithful servant Lupus to distribute to the poor, and joyfully awaited his imminent suffering for Christ the Lord. An angel of God appeared to him in prison, saying: “Peace be to you, O sufferer of Christ; be brave and be strong!” After several days, the em- peror sent soldiers to the prison to kill Demetrius. The soldiers found the saint of God at prayer and ran him through with lances. Christians se- cretly took his body and honorably buried it. Healing myrrh flowed from the body of the martyr of Christ, curing many of the sick. Soon, a small church was built over his relics.

An Illyrian nobleman, Leontius, was afflicted with an incurable illness. He hastened, with prayer, to the relics of St. Demetrius and was
completely healed. In thanksgiving, Leontius erected a much larger church on the site of the old church. The saint appeared to him on two occasions. When Emperor Justinian wanted to translate the relics of the saint from Thessalonica to Constantinople, flaming sparks sprang from the tomb and a voice was heard: “Stop, and do not touch!” And thus, the relics of St. Demetrius have remained for all time in Thessalonica. As the protector of Thessalonica, St. Demetrius has appeared many times, and on many occasions has saved Thessalonica from great calamity. His miracles are without number. The Russians considered St. Demetrius to be the protector of Siberia, which was conquered and annexed to Russia on October 26, 1581.