Our venerable father and confessor Theophane of the Sygrian Mountains in Bithynia in the monastery of Ager Magnus. He was called the Chronographer. Having been a very wealthy man, he became a poor monk. He was held in prison for two years by the emperor Leo the Armenian on account of his defense of the cult of holy icons. From there he was deported to Samothrace, where, consumed by his tribulations, he yielded up his spirit in 817.
Our holy father Gregory, pope of Rome. After entering the monastic life, he performed the duty of ambassador to Constantinople. Then on the third of September, he was chosen for the Roman See. He dealt well with earthly matters and, as a servant of the servants of God, he attended to holy things. He showed he was a true pastor in directing affairs, in fully assisting the needy, in fostering the monastic life, and everywhere strengthening or extending the faith. He also wrote excellently on many things concerning moral and pastoral matters.
Adorning your life with purity and disciplining your body, you slew the goats of the devil, O father Theophane. You were carried to eternal life in the Lord. As you stand before Him, now pray for all of us.
You received divine grace from heaven, O blessed Gregory, and strength from his divine power. You sought to follow the way of the Gospel, and your journey’s end brought you Christ’s reward. O blessed saint, beg Him to save us.
You became very much like the shepherds of Christ. You led the flocks of monks into the heavenly sheepfold. There you taught your flock the law of Christ, O father; and now you sing in the heavenly abode, and you rejoice happy in their company.
Cain then left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Cain had intercourse with his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. Cain also became the founder of a city, which he named after his son Enoch. To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad became the father of Mehujael; Mahujael became the father of Methusael, and Methusael became the father of Lamech. Lamech took two wives; the name of the first was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal, who became the ancestor of those who dwell in tents and keep livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal, who became the ancestor of all who play the lyre and the reed pipe. Zillah, on her part, gave birth to Tubalcain, the ancestor of all who forge instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubalcain was Naamah. Lamech said to his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
Wives of Lamech, listen to my utterance:
I have killed a man for wounding me.
If Cain is avenged seven times,
Then Lamech seventy-seven times.”
Adam again had intercourse with his wife, and she gave birth to a son who she called Seth. “God has granted me another offspring in place of Abel,” she said, “because Cain killed him.” To Seth, in turn, a son was born, and he named him Enosh.
At that time people began to invoke the Lord by name.
Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.
Should your water sources be dispersed abroad, streams of water in the streets?
Let them be yours alone, not shared with outsiders;
Let your fountain be blessed and have joy of the wife of your youth, your lovely hind, your graceful doe. Of whose love you will ever have your fill, and by her ardor always be intoxicated.
Why then, my son, should you be intoxicated with a stranger, and embrace another woman?
Indeed, the ways of each person are plain to the Lord’s sight; all their paths he surveys;
By their own iniquities the wicked will be caught, in the meshes of their own sin they will be held fast;
They will die from lack of discipline, lost because of their great folly.
My son, if you have become surety to your neighbor, given your hand in pledge to another,
You have been snared by the utterance of your lips, caught by the words of your mouth.
So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s power: Go, hurry, rouse your neighbor!
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Tuesday, March 11 –
