Our venerable father Alypius the Stylite was a deacon who died near the age of one hundred in the year 640 at Hadrianopolis in Paphlagonia.
The Consecration of the Church of the Great Martyr George at Kiev: Beginning with the holy Prince Vladimir (July 15), it was the pious custom of Russian princes to build a church in honor of their patron saint. Thus, Saint Vladimir (in Baptism Basil) built at Kiev and Vyshgorod temples dedicated to Saint Basil the Great (Jan. 1). Prince Yaroslav the Wise (in Baptism George) started to build a church and men’s monastery in honor of his patron saint, the Holy Great Martyr George (Apr. 23).
You seem a terror unscalable to the devils, crippling them by the club of your effective prayers. You chase away passions by fasting. You are a firm support of the wavering. O venerable father Alypius, beg Christ God for the salvation of our souls.
Today the ends of the world bless you when you were filled with divine miracles, and the earth rejoices receiving your blood. The Christ-named people of the city of Kiev rejoice with joy by the consecration of your divine temple, O passion-bearer George, O chosen vessel of the Holy Spirit who is the pleaser of Christ. Pray to Him for those who enter your temple with faith and petitions, to grant cleansing of sins, peace to the world, and to save our souls.
The Church glorifies you and sings to you today, O Alypius, a perfect example of virtue and fight with love deliverance from fierce transgressions on your name day.
Having assembled in faith in the consecrated temple which God alone blessed to construction in your name, let us praise the divine crown-bearer and great-martyr of Christ, George, for you are one who reposes among the saints.
Galatians 1: 3-10
Brothers and sisters: We wish you the favor and peace of God our Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, to rescue us from the present evil age, as our God and Father willed – to him be glory for endless ages. Amen.
I am amazed that you are so soon deserting him who called you in accord with his gracious design in Christ, and are going over to another gospel. But there is no other. Some who wish to alter the gospel of Christ must have confused you. For even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel not in accord with the one we delivered to you, let a curse be upon him! I repeat what I have just said: if anyone preaches a gospel to you other than the one you have received, let a curse be upon him!
Whom would you say I am trying to please at this point – men or God? Is this how I seek to ingratiate myself with men? If I were trying to win man’s approval, I would surely not be serving Christ!
Luke 10: 19-22a
The Lord said to his disciples: “I have given you power to tread on snakes and scorpions and all the forces of the enemy, and nothing shall ever injure you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice so much in the fact that the devils are subject to you as that your names are inscribed in heaven.”
At that moment Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said: “I offer you praise, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because what you have hidden from the learned and the clever you have revealed to the merest children. Yes, Father, you have graciously willed it so.”
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Friday, November 25 –
