8 Octombrie 2027
Friday of the 16th week after Pentecost

Fast

Commemorations

Our Holy Mother Pelagia (461)
Saint Thaïs the Repentant Harlot (4th c.)

Scripture Readings

Ephesians 1.7-17 (Epistle)

7În El avem răscumpărarea, prin sângele Lui, iertarea păcatelor, după bogăţiile harului Său 8pe care l-a răspândit din belşug peste noi, prin orice fel de înţelepciune şi de pricepere; 9căci a binevoit să ne descopere taina voii Sale, după planul pe care-l alcătuise în Sine însuşi, 10ca să-l aducă la îndeplinire la împlinirea vremurilor, spre a-Şi uni iarăşi într-unul, în Hristos, toate lucrurile: cele din ceruri şi cele de pe pământ. 11În El am fost făcuţi şi moştenitori, fiind rânduiţi mai dinainte, după hotărârea Aceluia care face toate după sfatul voii Sale, 12ca să slujim de laudă slavei Sale, noi, care mai dinainte am nădăjduit în Hristos. 13Şi voi, după ce aţi auzit Cuvântul adevărului (Evanghelia mântuirii voastre), aţi crezut în El şi aţi fost pecetluiţi cu Duhul Sfânt care fusese făgăduit 14şi care este o arvună a moştenirii noastre, pentru răscumpărarea celor câştigaţi de Dumnezeu, spre lauda slavei Lui. 15De aceea şi eu, de când am auzit despre credinţa în Domnul Isus care este în voi şi despre dragostea voastră pentru toţi sfinţii, 16nu încetez să aduc mulţumiri pentru voi, când vă pomenesc în rugăciunile mele. 17Şi mă rog ca Dumnezeul Domnului nostru Isus Hristos, Tatăl slavei, să vă dea un duh de înţelepciune şi de descoperire, în cunoaşterea Lui,

Luke 7.31-35 (Gospel)

31Cu cine voi asemăna, dar, pe oamenii din neamul acesta? Şi cu cine seamănă ei? 32Seamănă cu nişte copii care stau în piaţă şi strigă unii către alţii: „V-am cântat din fluier, şi n-aţi jucat; v-am cântat de jale, şi n-aţi plâns.” 33În adevăr, a venit Ioan Botezătorul, nici mâncând pâine, nici bând vin, şi ziceţi: „Are drac.” 34A venit Fiul omului, mâncând şi bând, şi ziceţi: „Iată un om mâncăcios şi băutor de vin, un prieten al vameşilor şi al păcătoşilor.” 35Totuşi Înţelepciunea a fost găsită dreaptă de toţi copiii ei.”

Commemorations

Our Holy Mother Pelagia (461)

“This Saint was a prominent actress of the city of Antioch, and a pagan, who lived a life of unrestrained prodigality and led many to perdition. Instructed and baptized by a certain bishop named Nonnus (November 10), she departed to the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem, where she lived as a recluse, feigning to be a eunuch called Pelagius. She lived in such holiness and repentance that within three or four years she was deemed worthy to repose in an odour of sanctity, in the middle of the fifth century. Her tomb on the Mount of Olives has been a place of pilgrimage ever since.” (Great Horologion). The Prologue adds that Pelagia had accumulated a large fortune as a courtesan, all of which she gave away to the poor upon her conversion.

Saint Thaïs the Repentant Harlot (4th c.)

She lived in Alexandria, where, when she was seventeen, her own mother placed her in a brothel, where due to her great beauty she was able to amass some wealth. Saint Serapion (March 21), hearing about Thaïs and her way of life, was moved by God to try to convert her. He dressed himself as a soldier, found her, gave her a gold piece, and went with her to her room. When the door was shut, he put aside his tunic, revealing his monastic robe, and asked if he might speak with her. With tears he told her of the doom that awaits sinners, and of the infinite mercy of God, who desires that all should be saved and welcomes every repentant sinner. Thaïs, her heart melted by his words, ran to the public square, burned all the fine clothes and possessions that she had acquired through her trade, and went with Serapion to a women’s monastery. There he instructed her to stay secluded in her cell, beseeching God’s mercy constantly and only eating every other day; she was to do this until she was instructed otherwise. Thaïs lived in this way for three years, with such zeal that she amazed all her monastic sisters. Meanwhile St Serapion went to St Anthony the Great to ask him if God had accepted Thaïs’ repentance. Saint Anthony and his brethren spent a night in prayer and received a vision in which they were assured that Thaïs had been found worthy of God’s mercy. Returning to the monastery, Serapion made the repentant Saint leave her cell, though by now she only wished to spend her life in repentant prayer. After spending only fifteen days in the common life of the monastery, the holy Thaïs reposed in peace.