Our holy father Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople, died while in exile on the island of Prochonis in the year 827. After the death of the last iconoclast emperor, the relics of the holy father were brought back to Constantinople, first to the church of Hagia Sophia and then finally to the Church of the Holy Apostles in the year 846.
You reaped your reward from your patience, unceasing prayer, love of the poor, and constant comfort of the needy. O blessed and merciful Nicephorus, beseech Christ to save our souls.
The choir of patriarchs honors your memory with chants and hymns of praise, O Nicephorus; transferring your relics, it inherits your spirit. Therefore, the Church glorifies Christ the King, who alone loves human-king
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
The simple believe everything, but the clever consider their steps.
The wise are cautious and turn away from evil, but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.
One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly, and the schemer is hated.
The simple are adorned with folly, but the clever are crowned with knowledge.
The evil bow down before the good, the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
The poor are disliked even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.
Those who despise their neighbors are sinners, but happy are those who are kind to the poor.
Do they not err that plan evil? Those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness.
In all toil there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
The crown of the wise is their wisdom, but folly is the garland of fools.
A truthful witness saves lives, but one who utters lies is a betrayer.
In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and one’s children will have a refuge.
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Thursday, March 12 –
