Our holy father Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople was of illustrious lineage. He was born and raised in Constantinople, where he received a fine education. He was rapidly promoted at the court of emperor Constantine VI (780-797) and Constantine’s mother, the holy Empress Irene, and the saint attained the rank of senator. Proceeding through all the clerical ranks in a short while, St. Tarasius was elevated to the patriarchal throne in the year 784. In the year 787, the Seventh Ecumenical Council was convened in the city of Nicea, with Patriarch Tarasius presiding and 367 bishops attending. The veneration of holy icons was confirmed at this council ending the iconoclasm heresy. St. Tarasius wisely governed the Church for twenty-two years. He led a strict ascetic life. He spent all his money on God-pleasing ends, feeding and giving comfort to the aged, of the impoverished, to widows and orphans, and on Holy Pascha he set out a meal for them, and he served them himself. St. Tarasius died in the year 806. Mourned by the Church, he was buried in a monastery he built on the Bosphorus. Many miracles took place at his tomb.
The sincerity of your deeds has revealed you to your people as a teacher of moderation, a model of faith, and an example of virtue. Therefore, you attained greatness through humility, and wealth through poverty. O father and archbishop Tarasius, ask Christ our God to save our souls.
O blessed Tarasius, you filled the Church with joy by preaching holy doctrine. You taught us all to bow before the venerable icon of Christ and to honor it. You vanquished the iconoclastic heresy. Therefore, we cry out: Rejoice, Tarasius, our wise father.
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
Wednesday, February 25 –
